Into The Mirror
by Boo1
Summary: Even forgiveness has a price.
1. Default Chapter

Title: Into The Mirror  
Category: Drama  
Rated: R for violence and sexual situations, though not much worse than what's been on the show itself. Mild language, consistent with the show.  
Spoilers: Takes place late in Season 5, after Intervention.  
Teaser: Even forgiveness has a price.  
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon is the boss, I only wish I could work for him. Although he'd probably smack me upside the head after reading this.  
Feedback: Show me yours and I'll show you mine.  
  
PART ONE - NIGHTMARES  
  
Three gentle raps on the door. Cordelia wasn't even sure if she had heard them. She looked up from the pile of unpaid bills on her desk and glanced at the clock. Ten o'clock. Angel should've been back by now. And suddenly Cordelia couldn't remember if she had locked the door.  
  
Three gentle raps on the door, this time louder, this time more urgent. To save money only the desk lamp was on. The darkness between the door and her seemed deeper than only a moment ago. Cordelia reached up and turned off the lamp. Now at least they were on equal terms. She stood up, pushing the chair behind her with her legs as she did.  
  
One more rap...and then, faintly, another. Cordelia was at the door, not remembering how she got there. She fumbled with the chain above her only once before sliding the bolt into place. Relief washed over her from that simple act. Pressing her cheek against the cold door, she slowly exhaled. Then, leaning back, Cordelia peered through the spy hole to see who was in the hall.  
  
One hand flew up, covering her mouth as she stumbled away from the door. Any sense of security Cordelia had vanished. The barrier between them felt paper thin. There was nothing within reach that she could use as a weapon. Cordelia's shoulders sagged and she closed her eyes.  
  
"What do you want?," demanded Cordelia, trying to sound confident but failing. Miserably.  
  
There was no answer.  
  
"What do you want?," whispered Cordelia, her lower lip trembling.  
  
Silence.  
  
There was nothing else she could do. It was useless to hide. Cordelia slid the chain aside, expecting at any moment the door would explode inward. Inhaling one last time, she gripped the handle and flung the door open.  
  
She was sitting on the floor, wearing a simple gray sweatshirt and matching pants, both hands holding her stomach. The girl looked up at her but didn't seem to recognize Cordelia. Her body was shaking and her eyes...her eyes held a look of terror that froze Cordelia. Shocked her. And then she realized that Faith was bleeding.  
  
"Help me...please?"  
  
Faith's plea was barely a whisper. Cordelia only hesitated for a moment and then knelt down beside her, staring at her bloody hands. Faith moved one hand aside. It was an ugly wound.  
  
"What happened?," grimaced Cordelia.  
  
"Gunshot," replied Faith through clenched teeth.  
  
"I'll call an ambulance," said Cordelia.  
  
Faith lashed out, grabbing Cordelia's wrist. Cordy's eyes flew open wide, fear slamming her stomach into a knot.  
  
"No time...Angel...call Angel," whispered Faith, loosening her hold on Cordelia. Faith collapsed onto her side as Cordelia pulled free of her hold, ignoring the blood on her wrist and forearm.  
  
"But..."  
  
Cordelia looked from Faith's eyes down to the wound and then, slowly, again made eye contact with her. Now she was scared for another reason. Cordelia sadly nodded in agreement. Faith briefly smiled and closed her eyes.  
  
Even before Cordelia was fully standing he appeared, a shadow that had taken form.  
  
"Angel! She's been shot! Should I call an ambulance? She didn't want me..."  
  
Angel glanced at her and ever so slightly shook his head.  
  
"Oh," said Cordelia, now accepting what Faith had said. No matter what her feelings were towards the Slayer, she didn't want to see her die. Cordelia bit her lower lip, fighting back tears.  
  
Faith opened her eyes.  
  
"Angel," said Faith softly, smiling.  
  
He knelt down beside her, slipping one arm under her neck and the other under her knees, lifting her as gently as he could.  
  
"Guess I really screwed up this time," sighed Faith, her smile fading as she winced in pain.  
  
"Let's get you inside," said Angel, forcing his own smile.  
  
"Not on the carpet, I just had them cleaned," warned Cordelia, holding the door open just to have something to do. Angel glared at her.  
  
"What? I only meant...put her on the bed," said Cordelia, rolling her eyes. She shut the door behind them, her eyes pausing on the blood stained carpet in the hall.  
  
Angel eased Faith down onto the bed as Cordelia adjusted the pillow for her.  
  
"She doesn't seem to be bleeding as badly as before," noticed Cordelia.  
  
"No, she isn't," agreed Angel, fighting the arousal of the demon within as its bloodlust emerged.  
  
"Cordelia, could you..."  
  
"I'm leaving," nodded Cordelia. "I'll call Wesley."  
  
"No, he..."  
  
"Angel, he was her Watcher," snapped Cordelia.  
  
Angel hesitated but then nodded his assent.  
  
"Cordelia," called Faith.  
  
Both heads immediately turned to her. Cordelia took a step closer to the bed.  
  
"I know...it isn't much...but I'm sorry. It's...it's all I can offer," gasped Faith.  
  
"Thank you," replied Cordelia, tears clouding the corners of her eyes. She glanced at Angel and shut the door on the way out.  
  
"Angel."  
  
Angel sat on the edge of the bed and held one of Faith's hands in both of his. Her skin was already cold beneath the stickiness of the blood.  
  
"I'm glad you're here," whispered Faith, again forcing a smile. "You're the only one who ever believed in me...the only one...who understood."  
  
"That's not true. Wesley was your Watcher. He blames himself for what happened, you know."  
  
"He knows...it wasn't his fault...deep down, he knows," said Faith, shaking her head and fighting to keep her eyes open.  
  
With one hand Angel brushed Faith's hair to one side, out of her eyes.  
  
"And Buffy, she believed in you. Even after all the others gave up on you, she defended you. She..."  
  
"And look at what I did to her," interrupted Faith, closing her eyes in pain.  
  
"Faith..."  
  
"Angel, I'm cold. I'm so cold."  
  
"I know. But it'll be okay soon. I promise," whispered Angel. He leaned over and kissed Faith on the forehead.  
  
"What was it like? Angel...what was it like?," repeated Faith, opening her eyes wide and gripping his hand just a little tighter.  
  
"What was..."  
  
"Hell. You've been there, so I know it exists. We both know that's where I'm headed. It's not like I don't deserve..."  
  
"No! No, you're not..."  
  
"Angel, I wanted to be good. I did. And I tried...I just, I just ran out of time. And it's not fair, you know? It's not...it's not fair."  
  
"Faith, I know what is in your heart. The good and the bad. And maybe that's enough. Maybe just one person believing in you is enough," comforted Angel, trying to accept his own words.  
  
"I never thought...Angel, I'm scared. It's not supposed to be like this. I mean, I'm a Slayer...we die...it comes with the territory...part of the package. But I never thought I'd be afraid."  
  
"Faith, when the time comes, we're all afraid."  
  
"Not like this," whimpered Faith. "Damn it, there were times that I welcomed this, wished for it! And now..."  
  
"Faith..."  
  
"Angel...I don't want to die. Not this way. Not a meaningless death."  
  
Angel was glad that Faith closed her eyes so that he didn't have to look away. Her head rolled to one side. She was so young...  
  
Angel glanced behind him. The door was still closed.  
  
"Faith."  
  
She didn't stir.  
  
"Faith," he called again, a little louder, shaking her shoulder. Her eyes opened slightly but didn't focus on him. There wasn't much time left. Angel placed his hands on either side of her face  
  
"It doesn't have to end. Not this way."  
  
She opened her eyes fully and winced as she swallowed.  
  
"But it has to be your choice, your decision. Not mine," said Angel, shaking his head.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You can become like me. If I turn you, there's a good chance you'll retain your soul. It's the curse."  
  
"No."  
  
"Faith, listen to me!"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Faith! This is your only chance at redemption! You don't want a meaningless death? Prove it! I'll help you. I promise you won't be alone. I promise."  
  
For the first time Faith cried. Her tears ran slowly down her cheeks and crawled to the sides of her face.  
  
"Angel...I'm wicked scared."  
  
"I know. But I can help. Let me...please," begged Angel.  
  
"But...my soul...what if..."  
  
"I'll chain you. When you rise, I'll know. If you're only a demon possessed vampire, I'll stake you myself. But you won't be. Faith, you have to trust me. You have to!"  
  
Faith stared at him for a moment. And then she simply tilted her head to one side, exposing her neck. She didn't close her eyes.  
  
It was so easy to slip into this form, his true form, his true face. And for a moment Angel was more afraid for himself than he was for Faith. Was this really her choice or did he want this, want this even more than her? His nostrils flared with the scent of her blood and any thoughts of remorse faded with his desire. Angel leaned over her, his lips pausing just above her skin, prolonging the moment, the anticipation only fueling his need.  
  
To the demon the only thing more sensual than the first hot drops of its victim's blood was the adrenaline rush brought on by the power of fear. Angel couldn't resist searching her face for even a hint of that emotion. Glancing up at Faith, he recoiled at what he saw. Staring back at him were Buffy's lifeless eyes. There was no fear on Buffy's still face...no pain...her lips were slightly parted in surprise, forming a whisper as if to call his name. A single tear welled up in the corner of one eye, hinting at betrayal...she had trusted him, just as Faith had trusted him now.  
  
Angel shook his head and growled, clearing his vision. Almost unseen, Faith's eye twitched, acknowledging her fear to him. Unsatisfied, curling his lips back in anger, he leaned forward and caressed her neck with his lips.  
  
As his fangs pierced her flesh, Faith let out a gasp. Whether it was a sigh of pleasure or pain, Angel couldn't tell. And now he didn't care. His feral eyes rolled back into his head as her blood warmed his mouth, the sensation only demanding more of him. As he swallowed her body rose to press against his, one hand tightly gripping the bedspread. Angel fought the urge to rip into her neck, to shake his head and tear through the taut muscle.  
  
He pulled away with a moan, the room spinning around him. Angel violently shook free of his leather coat and pulled at his shirt sleeve, the buttons popping free from the fabric. He sunk his teeth into his wrist, ignoring the pain. Slipping a hand behind Faith's head, he forced her mouth against his arm. His blood flowed into her mouth and oozed from the corners of her lips, dripping down onto her neck. With his other hand Angel massaged Faith's throat, forcing her to accept the blood, demanding her to accept his will.  
  
Her lifeless eyes stared absently at the ceiling above them. Faith didn't respond, didn't move. Angel pulled his arm away and his blood poured over her lower lip. He was about to call her name when he saw it. Just the slightest twitch of her tongue. Faith surrendered and swallowed his gift, accepting her fate. Once more gaining control of himself, the demon reluctantly withdrew and Angel's face morphed back to human form. He wiped his sleeve across his mouth and slid the other shirt sleeve back into place, the wound having almost closed over.  
  
Faith's heart stopped beating. Angel sensed this and suddenly realized that he was crying. He leaned over and tenderly closed Faith's eyes. Forcing himself to look away, Angel picked up his coat off the floor and slipped his arms into it. He hesitated at the door for a moment but fought the urge to look at her again. Angel left, closing the door behind him.  
  
"Angel. Is she..."  
  
Angel interrupted Cordelia's question with a single nod.  
  
"I'm sorry. I know what she meant to you," said Cordelia.  
  
Before he could respond the front door flew open. Wesley stood there, out of breath, whatever he was about to say forgotten as he saw the looks on his friend's faces.  
  
"I'm too late," he sighed. It wasn't a question, just a simple statement of fact. Wesley slumped back against the doorframe.  
  
"Angel?"  
  
Angel turned to face Cordelia.  
  
"Why do you have blood on your lips? You didn't...good God, what did you do?," questioned Cordelia, wrinkling her nose.  
  
"I can explain."  
  
"Explain? There's something to explain?," shouted Cordelia.  
  
"Listen to me, both of you," said Angel, turning to glance at Wesley. "I had to do this. It was her only chance."  
  
"Only...Angel, what are you saying? What have you done?," asked Wesley, his eyes growing wide.  
  
"It's what Faith wanted. She needs to redeem herself, to make amends..."  
  
"Needs, as in the present tense? You didn't! Tell me you didn't...oh God, I think I'm going to be sick," said Cordelia, leaning back against the wall behind her for support.  
  
"Angel, have you lost your mind? Do you realize what you have done?," shouted Wesley.  
  
"She will have her soul. I know it! I was almost tempted to try it with Darla, but I wasn't sure. But now I am sure! You have to trust me," said Angel, trying to remain calm.  
  
"Trust you? Psycho-chick was out of control when she was alive! And now she'll be a vampire with the strength of a Slayer? Hello? Where's the up side here?," demanded Cordelia.  
  
"You don't understand! I had to try!," yelled Angel  
  
"You're right," said Wesley.  
  
"He is?," asked Cordelia, astonished.  
  
"I don't understand," said Wesley flatly.  
  
"We'll chain her to the bed. If she rises without her soul, then I'll stake her myself," announced Angel, throwing his hands into the air.  
  
Cordelia turned and ran into the kitchen. When she came back she was wielding a long butcher knife.  
  
"Cordelia!," shouted both Angel and Wesley.  
  
"Get out of my way! I'll cut her freakin' head off myself if I have to!," screamed Cordelia.  
  
Angel stepped towards Cordelia and she tried to move past him. He easily grabbed her wrist and the knife fell to the floor. She began to punch him in the chest with both hands and at the same time began to sob.  
  
"Damn you! Damn you, Angel!"  
  
Cordelia stopped hitting him and covered her face with her hands. He tried to hug her but she pulled away in anger. She just stood there crying until Wesley came to her and held her. Cordelia pressed her face into his shoulder and wept. Wesley glared at Angel.  
  
"Knowing what your...life...is like, how could you do that to her? You really think she'll be grateful?," asked Wesley, not masking his disappointment.  
  
"I didn't know that I disgusted you that much," sneered Angel.  
  
"You know I'm right," answered Wesley, clenching his teeth.  
  
"We do more than just help people. We're here to save souls. Faith needs a second chance. If that's not enough, then ponder this. You ever consider the possibility that you are wrong in your translation about my prophecy?," asked Angel.  
  
"Your prophecy? You mean...the vampire with a soul? To sanshu..."  
  
"That's the one. Maybe it doesn't apply to me. Or maybe it would apply to both of us. Prophecies have been known to be, shall we say, slippery? Interpreting their meanings have been hit or miss at best. Even after they come to pass we don't always understand them fully."  
  
Cordelia stepped away from Wesley and they both stared at Angel.   
  
"I'm reaching, I know. Prophetic mysteries aside, if she rises without a soul, I will kill her. I promise you," assured Angel.  
  
"And if you're wrong...I can't think of anything more dangerous than a vampire with Slayer strength," said Wesley, shaking his head.  
  
"No? How about a pyscho-Slayer with Slayer strength?," offered Cordelia loudly.  
  
"She'll be chained. If it's not Faith, I'll kill her," said Angel calmly.  
  
Wesley looked at Cordelia. She lowered her eyes but nodded in agreement, wiping her cheeks with her hands. Wesley placed a hand on Cordelia's shoulder and turned to face Angel.   
  
"Okay," agreed Wesley.  
  
"Thank you," nodded Angel.  
  
"And you owe me a set of new sheets," added Cordelia.  
  
Angel couldn't help but smile.  
  
"I'll be back in about half an hour. We'll need a few things from the office."  
  
Angel turned but hesitated at the door.  
  
"Thank you," he said once again, not turning around. As he left Cordelia put her head on Wesley's shoulder.  
  
*****  
  
Quentin Travers had just finished breakfast when his phone rang. He stared at it, letting it ring one more time, before reluctantly picking up the receiver.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"When?"  
  
"I thought we had someone...oh, I see. Just one dead?"  
  
"Very well. Assemble a team. I'll make the usual arrangements."  
  
"Is that your recommendation? He failed miserably when she escaped from the hospital."  
  
"Fine. Just remind him this is his last chance. And that this is a kill, not a capture."  
  
Quentin Travers gently hung up the phone and glanced at the grandfather clock across the room. Although the single malt scotch in his bottom drawer called out to him, it was too early in the day to start drinking. Even for him. With a shrug he once again picked up the phone, dialing a number that only two other people in the Council besides him knew.  
  
*****  
  
Angel unlocked the door but didn't bother to turn the lights on. Not only didn't he need the light to see, but he knew exactly where everything was that he needed. He took two steps into his office and froze.  
  
"Who's here?," he asked of the darkness.  
  
There was no reply. Angel listened for what a human would've been two heartbeats. And then he smiled.  
  
"Kate. Make yourself at home. Oh, my mistake, you already have."  
  
The desk lamp came on. Kate was sitting in the chair behind the desk. And she was smiling.  
  
"Impressive. How did you know it was me?," she asked.  
  
"Your scent."  
  
"I've changed perfumes, Angel."  
  
"That's not what I meant. I've tasted your blood," he reminded.  
  
"Oh," managed Kate, suddenly uncomfortable.  
  
"We have a connection now. It's...kinda hard to explain," said Angel, shrugging one shoulder. "And speaking of impressive, how did you get in here? The door was locked."  
  
"Simple street smarts, Angel. You should know me better than that," added Kate, standing up. "Where is she?"  
  
"Where is who?," asked Angel, his voice emotionless.  
  
"Faith. She escaped from prison tonight. One guard is dead, but from the blood they found I'm pretty sure he managed to get a bullet into her. So, I'll ask again...where is she?," demanded Kate, leaning forward and placing her palms on the desk.  
  
"You think she's here? Feel free to search the place," smiled Angel.  
  
"Already did. And every hospital is being watched. With a wound like that, Faith will need help."  
  
"Or she could be dead already," sighed Angel.  
  
"You don't seem very concerned," said Kate, knotting her eyebrows together.  
  
"Well, if you'll check the logbook at the prison, you'll notice I haven't been by to see her in a few months. We've...grown apart. And why should you care about her? Last I heard, you weren't even on the Force anymore," challenged Angel, his hands on his hips. "How did you even hear about her?"  
  
"No, I'm not still employed by the LAPD," admitted Kate. "But I have a police scanner, you know. And I still have a few friends...a few connections on the inside who feel that I got screwed over. Let's just say I have a special interest in her case."  
  
"Care to elaborate?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Fair enough. If I ever see her alive again, I promise to call you," said Angel coldly.  
  
Kate straightened up and picked her coat off the back of the chair, tossing it over her shoulder. She walked up to Angel and stared him in the eye.  
  
"Thank you," smiled Kate.  
  
She continued past him. When Angel heard the door click shut behind him, he shook his head and began to gather up what he needed. The first object he grabbed was a sharp wooden stake.  
  
*****  
  
"I need to do something. I can't sleep," sighed Cordelia, pacing around the kitchen.  
  
"Too much coffee?," asked Wesley.  
  
"I mean she's in my bed!," snapped Cordelia.  
  
"Oh," nodded Wesley.  
  
"I'm sorry. It's not you I'm mad at. Look, there's only one container of blood in the refrigerator for Angel. Obviously we're going to need some more. Geez, he'd better not invite anymore of his friends over," said Cordelia, making quotation marks in the air with her fingers when she said the word 'friends'.   
  
"Cordelia, it's not quite dawn yet," said Wesley, stating what they were both well aware of.  
  
"So? The butcher likes me. Best to get there when he opens," replied Cordelia, grabbing her pocketbook off the back of a chair.  
  
Wesley stared at her with a look that showed he was still confused.  
  
"That way I know it's fresh! Besides, you think we're the only people who get in line for blood down there? Wonder what he thinks everyone does with it? Smart guy, Ralph. Knows better than to ask questions."  
  
Now Wesley raised his eyebrows as Cordelia undid the top button of her blouse.  
  
"You flirt with the butcher?," asked Wesley timidly.  
  
"You have no idea of the things I do for Angel Investigations, do you?," said Cordelia, pulling her coat from the closet and draping it over one arm. "First thing next week, Angel and I are sitting down and reviewing my job description."  
  
Cordelia opened the door and looked back at Wesley.  
  
"Oh, don't call Gunn yet, 'cause we wouldn't want him to lose any beauty sleep, but when you do, tell him to pick up a welcome mat on the way over. I'm never getting this out of the carpet," sighed Cordelia, looking down at the floor. "Hmm, maybe white wine...no, that gets out red wine."  
  
Cordelia shut the door.  
  
Wesley stood next to the bedroom door and raised his hand to knock but his knuckles never touched the wood. He slowly lowered his hand and opened the door. Angel was sitting on the bed with his back to him. Although his view of Faith was blocked, Wesley could see the thick chains that were wrapped around bed. He stood next to Angel, his eyes moving from the chain across her legs to the chain around her waist and finally the chain over her chest that pinned her arms against her side. And Wesley noticed that a blanket a been thrown over the dresser mirror across from the bed.  
  
Faith did not look like she was sleeping. Her skin was too pale. There was no doubt that she would be cold to the touch, nothing more than a corpse. Knowing that wasn't true, Wesley couldn't bring himself to look at her face. Sadly shaking his head, he glanced at Angel. He hadn't realized what Angel had been doing. Holding a stake in one hand, Angel was sharpening the point with a knife. There were three other freshly whittled stakes on the nightstand.  
  
"Having second thoughts?," inquired Wesley.  
  
"Not at all. Just being cautious," replied Angel, not looking up from his work.  
  
"I see. Angel, I...for what it's worth, I agree with what you're doing. This is no different than when you reached out to her the last time...after she had tortured me," swallowed Wesley. "We...I...had failed her. And only you saw through her rage...her pain. That, deep down, Faith wanted help. Not only couldn't I see that, but..."  
  
Angel stopped what he was doing and looked up at Wesley.  
  
"I wanted to kill her. And worse yet, I would have, given the opportunity," sighed Wesley.  
  
"I only saw myself in her, Wes. That's how I understood. You couldn't have known," said Angel.  
  
"I wish I could believe that, Angel. I really wish I could."  
  
"Wesley, you came into her life at a bad time. It wouldn't have mattered who the Council sent to be her Watcher. Faith wouldn't have accepted anyone. Did you ever stop to consider why?," asked Angel.  
  
Wesley finally allowed himself to gaze upon her face.  
  
"More times than I can count. I was...inadequate for the job."  
  
Angel smiled, stroked the wood once more with the knife and placed them both on the dresser next to the others.  
  
"You couldn't be more wrong. Oh sure, you two never really bonded, but it was because she couldn't allow it, wouldn't allow it. Her first Watcher was killed, remember? She still blames herself. Faith didn't want another Watcher because she was afraid to get hurt again, afraid to make that connection with another person."  
  
Wesley met Angel's stare and considered this.  
  
"Watcher, boyfriend, friend...it didn't matter who it was. She was shutting down, withdrawing, becoming more alone. I don't think she even knew she was doing it, but Faith eventually lost her ability to trust anyone. And the smallest setback for her would just reinforce her doubts," explained Angel.  
  
"Angel, it can't be that simple," protested Wesley.  
  
"Of course not. Nothing ever is. Very rarely does one big event in a person's life change them. It's all the little things, the choices you make along the way. Water eventually wears away a rock, but not overnight."  
  
Angel stood up and looked at Faith.  
  
"I don't know...this event sure changed her," sighed Wesley.  
  
"There's that. Guess she'll just have to trust me," smiled Angel.  
  
"Are you leaving?," asked Wesley.  
  
Angel nodded.  
  
"It'll be light soon. I'll be at the office, at least for most of the morning. She won't rise until sometime after sunset tonight."  
  
"Get some rest," said Wesley, putting a hand on Angel's shoulder.  
  
"You too," answered Angel.  
  
Angel stepped over to the drapes, adjusting them so that no sunlight would enter. Satisfied, they left the bedroom and shut the door behind them.  
  
The thing that had once been Faith opened its yellow eyes.  
  
END OF PART ONE  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. Part 2

Title: Into The Mirror  
  
PART TWO - Early To Bed...  
  
Sitting in her car across the street Kate watched Angel leave the apartment building. She decided not to follow him, just as she had decided not to follow Cordelia when she had left earlier. She took another sip from her now cold coffee, almost gagging but needing the caffeine. It had been a long night but the day promised to be very interesting.  
  
Suddenly Wesley came running out of the building, yelling Angel's name. The two men turned and ran back inside. Kate sat there for a moment and then reached for the binoculars on the seat next to her. Raising them to her eyes, she sighed, frustrated that she couldn't see past the closed drapes.  
  
*****  
  
As soon as Angel entered the room the vampire glared at him, its face a conflicting agony of terror and hatred. She was violently pulling against the chains, trying to break free, but they were holding her firmly down. Spittle flew from its mouth as her head snapped back and forth.  
  
"Faith."  
  
Angel's voice was low but firm. The creature only struggled harder.  
  
"Faith," called Angel, this time louder. He couldn't tell if it heard him or he was being ignored.  
  
Angel glanced at Wesley but he was staring at the bed, his face quite pale. Angel walked slowly over to the bed and sat down. The vampire snarled at him, hopelessly throwing her head towards him in an effort to bite Angel. The bedspread beneath her hands was shredded as she tried to claw her way free.  
  
Angel placed his hands on her shoulders, pressing her down.  
  
"Faith, relax! It will pass!"  
  
It growled at him and desperately struggled, shaking so violently the bed moved across the floor. And it showed no signs of tiring. Angel stood and saw Wesley staring at him, fear in his eyes.  
  
"It can be a little disorientating at first," shrugged Angel.  
  
Wesley opened his eyes just a little wider.  
  
"Angel, is it Faith? Is it?," he asked, no hope in his voice.  
  
Angel looked back at the vampire, its body brutally convulsing against its bonds.  
  
"I don't know. Not yet. Let's go into the other room. Maybe she'll calm down."  
  
"Maybe?," repeated Wesley, his eyes drifting to the stakes on the dresser.   
  
*****  
  
"Angel, why don't you go lie down for a while? You haven't slept and it is, well, daylight. That kinda tires you out too, you know?," added Cordelia. "You're going to need your strength for...for later."  
  
Angel only shook his head. Wesley and Gunn were sitting at the kitchen table with them; Wesley was watching Angel while Gunn stared at the closed door behind them.  
  
"She's been quiet for almost an hour," said Gunn. "Maybe she's finally exhausted herself."  
  
"Or maybe it's just regrouping," suggested Cordelia.  
  
"She," said Angel.  
  
"Hmm?," asked Cordelia.  
  
"You keep referring to her as it. That's Faith in there," said Angel.  
  
"Or not," glared Cordelia, taking a gulp of lukewarm coffee.  
  
"Angel, you have to accept the possibility that it might not be her," warned Wesley.  
  
"No!," snapped Angel, standing up. He made his way to the refrigerator and took out another large cup of blood.  
  
"Angel, there's one thing I'm not understanding here. Any newborn vampire should be craving blood when it first awakens, right?," asked Gunn.  
  
Angel nodded.  
  
"So why is she refusing it? You've tried three times now and, well, it just seems like she shouldn't be able to control herself. If I'm hearin' right, the hunger should be consuming her by now," said Gunn.  
  
"I don't know. I've never seen anything like this before. She rose too soon, the scent of blood doesn't..."  
  
Angel didn't finish, suddenly lost in thought.  
  
"Doesn't what, Angel?," asked Wesley.  
  
"It's almost as if the thought of drinking blood repulses her. It is Faith! She just won't accept what's happened!," said Angel excitedly.  
  
They all stared at him, unconvinced.  
  
"She's fighting the demon. And she's not going to win. But we'll have Faith back," said Angel confidently.  
  
As he made his way to the door Cordelia stood up. Angel stopped and looked at her.  
  
"I'm going in there with you," said Cordelia.  
  
"Cordy, you haven't been in there yet. Are you sure about this? You don't have to..."  
  
"Angel, I need to know if it's her. We all do."  
  
Angel glanced back at the other two.  
  
"I'm fine. Call me if you need me," shrugged Gunn.  
  
"Good luck," added Wesley, quickly looking for something to do.  
  
Cordelia took a deep breath and stood by Angel's side. He reached for the door knob and pushed the door, holding it open for her. She took one step and stopped, scrunching her nose. The room reeked of vomit, urine, sweat and blood. Cordelia closed her eyes and shook her head.  
  
"Cordelia, are you sure..."  
  
Cordelia walked past Angel and Angel shut the door behind them.   
  
The vampire turned her head towards them, her eyes nervously darting back and forth. Blood flowed from her nostrils as if she had hit her face against something. Her hair was damp and clung flat to the sides of her face and her skin was slick with perspiration. A dark colored vomit had dried on her neck and shirt.   
  
"Oh, Angel," cried Cordelia softly, raising one hand to cover her mouth.  
  
Angel ignored her and sat down on the edge of the bed. The vampire bared her teeth and hissed at him. He held the cup of blood up towards her and she immediately turned her head away and growled.  
  
"You need this. I know you do. It's the only way for you to get better. Faith...you have to trust me. Please," said Angel, his voice pleading.  
  
The vampire feebly began to struggle but even Cordelia could see how exhausted she was. Soon it simply closed her eyes. Angel slowly lowered his head in defeat.  
  
"Alright, enough of this cute touchy-feely-let's-be-friends crap. Give me that cup!," commanded Cordelia.  
  
Without even thinking about it Angel extended his hand, eyes wide open. Cordelia grabbed the cup, spilling some of the blood over the edge.  
  
"Grab her face and force her mouth open," snapped Cordelia.  
  
Angel hesitated and Cordelia glared at him. He pushed his hand down on Faith's forehead and gripped her jaw with his other hand. Faith struggled but was too weak to put up much of a fight. Angel forced open her mouth, careful to avoid her fangs. He felt her go absolutely limp.  
  
Cordelia leaned forward but suddenly stopped, frozen by the look of terror in Faith's eyes. A single tear escaped from Faith's eye, moving slowly across her cheek. Cordelia bit her lower lip and let some of the blood splash onto Faith's tongue.  
  
Faith's body stiffened as if she had been punched in the stomach. Cordelia tilted the cup some more, the blood oozing over Faith's lips and chin. And finally she swallowed.  
  
Instantly Faith struggled against Angel's hand, eager to reach the cup. He removed his hand and she frantically gulped the blood as Cordelia helped her drink. She moaned and Cordelia wrinkled her nose in disgust. The cup was quickly emptied and Faith rabidly bit at it, desperate for more.  
  
"Faith?," whispered Cordelia.  
  
Faith lashed out with her teeth and Cordelia barely pulled her hand away in time. She stood up and Faith again began to push against the chains. Cordelia slowly turned her head to face Angel and he returned her stare.  
  
"Bastard," sneered Cordelia, her voice full of venom.  
  
Angel glanced down but quickly looked up again, no readable expression on his face. Cordelia left the room, slamming the door behind her.  
  
Wesley and Gunn both looked up at her but didn't say anything. Wesley slowly stood.  
  
"It...she...drank some blood. If that thing has a soul I'll kiss Buffy on the lips," grimaced Cordelia.  
  
Gunn raised one eyebrow and Cordelia noticed.  
  
"Men! Is that all you think about?," she sighed, shaking her head.  
  
"Um...who's Buffy?," asked Gunn.  
  
"You've got to be kidding me," sighed Cordelia.  
  
Before Cordelia could explain there was a knock at the door. Cordelia shot Wesley a questioning look and he shrugged his shoulders.  
  
"Don't look at me, I didn't order pizza," said Gunn, trying to lighten the mood.  
  
Cordelia gave him a threatless glare and walked to the door, opening it just a crack.  
  
"Kate! Well, this is a surprise."  
  
"Is Angel here?"  
  
"Yes, but it being daylight and all, he's, uh, sleeping. And I'd hate to wake him up. You should see how grumpy he gets without his beauty sleep."  
  
"Can I come in?," asked Kate.  
  
"Uh, well...no. We, um...a case. We're reviewing a case and it's kind of confidential in a very private...confidential way," frowned Cordelia. "So, if you'd like to leave a message, I'll make sure Angel gets it. When he wakes up, that is."  
  
The sound of the bed shaking behind Cordelia made her eyes open wider. There was a growl or two and then it was quiet again.  
  
"He tosses and turns a lot," smiled Cordelia nervously.  
  
Kate tried to peer into the room behind Cordelia. Wesley and Gunn each leaned in towards the middle of the table to see who was at the door, eventually bumping heads.  
  
"You're right, I wouldn't want to wake him. Just wanted him to know that Faith hasn't turned up at any of the local hospitals yet. If he hears from her..."  
  
"You'll be the first to know," interjected Cordelia. Kate smiled.  
  
"Cordelia?"  
  
"Yes?," asked Cordelia, flashing a wide smile.  
  
"Why do you have blood on your hand?"  
  
"Oh, that. I got Angel a snack. Before bedtime. Anything else?," asked Cordelia, with just a hint of nervousness. She put her hand behind her back.  
  
"Oh, yeah. Here's your morning paper," said Kate, handing Cordelia the newspaper. "You might want to read the story on the front page."  
  
Cordelia nodded and took the paper.  
  
"Bye," announced Cordelia, shutting the door.   
  
As Kate turned she noticed a trail of dark spots on the rug. Kneeling down, she lifted up the welcome mat. Having been at countless crime scenes in the past, she knew dried blood when she saw it. With a smile she walked back to her car.  
  
Cordelia opened the paper and her jaw dropped. There was a picture of Faith on the front page. The two men patiently waited while she read.  
  
"Well?," asked Gunn, getting restless.  
  
Cordelia tossed the paper onto the table.  
  
"Seems our dead Slayer killed a guard during her escape from prison last night. I'm going to wash this blood off my hand. Gunn, I suggest you follow Kate. It seemed like she thought we were hiding Faith here," frowned Cordelia.  
  
"No, ya think?," said Gunn sarcastically.  
  
Wesley picked up the paper and began reading.  
  
"Oh, and do I have to say it?," asked Cordelia.  
  
"Only if you want to insult my intelligence," replied Gunn, standing up and heading for the door.  
  
Wesley looked up from the paper with a quizzical expression.  
  
"She means don't be seen," explained Gunn, looking back over his shoulder.  
  
"Oh. I knew that," answered Wesley.  
  
Cordelia rolled her eyes.  
  
"I did!," protested Wesley.  
  
When Cordelia came out of the bathroom Gunn was standing there, waiting.  
  
"That was...quick," said Cordelia, more confused than surprised.  
  
"Didn't have to go far. That Lockley woman is sitting in her car across the street."  
  
Cordelia closed her eyes and shook her head with a loud sigh. And then she smiled.   
  
*****  
  
The phone had only rung twice before Quentin picked it up. A glance at his alarm clock confirmed that this could not be good news.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"A new...are you absolutely sure? You have no doubts?"  
  
"No, of course not. I, I'll have to ring you back. There's one or perhaps two calls to place. By the way, who's been assigned to her?"  
  
"Oh dear."  
  
"Agreed."  
  
He hung up the phone and again looked at the clock, doing a quick calculation in his head.  
  
"Eight hours...almost seven thirty. Well, Rupert, at least I won't be waking you up."  
  
*****  
  
Kate slid lower down into her seat. Angel had come outside and gave a quick glance up and down the street, looked at his watch and then went back inside. She wasn't worried about him recognizing this car because it was a rental. Kate exhaled, suddenly realizing that she had been holding her breath.  
  
Angel came back outside and Kate sat up straight, no longer caring if Angel saw her. He was carrying something in his arms, something that was wrapped up in blankets. And the way he was holding it...Kate knew it must be a body. Angel opened the back door of his car and gently placed his bundle onto the seat. Kate did slide down a little lower again out of habit but Angel seemed to be in a hurry as he got into the driver's seat and he never looked in her direction.  
  
Her hand was on the key in the ignition and the moment Angel started his car she started hers, not wanting him to hear. Angel pulled away from the curb and Kate let him build up a short lead before following. After a few minutes she knew where he was going.  
  
Angel pulled up in front of his office and got out of the car, quickly walking inside. Half a block behind him, Kate got out of her car and practically ran to his car. She opened the back door without even looking in first, only hesitating for a moment before wrapping her fingers around the edge of the blanket. Kate lifted the blanket up, revealing the face...of Cordelia.  
  
"Cordelia!"  
  
"Kate!"  
  
"What the hell are you doing here!?," yelled both women at the same time.  
  
"Well, Angel is trying to sneak me into a surprise birthday party. What's your excuse?," demanded Cordelia.  
  
The look of shock on Kate's face turned to one of anger. She turned and stormed off.  
  
And Cordelia smiled.  
  
*****  
  
Giles squinted, his eyes straining to make sense of what was happening in front of them.   
  
"Giles, we're running out of time!," yelled Buffy, only glancing at him. She shook her head, the frustration on her face revealing that she was as hopelessly lost as her Watcher.  
  
Giles sighed and shook his head. Looking at Buffy, he shrugged his shoulders in defeat.  
  
"Somehow, this is just...wrong," said Buffy, throwing up her hands.  
  
"Times up!," announced Dawn, looking at her watch.  
  
"Blast!," snapped Giles.  
  
Behind the couch Buffy and Giles were sitting on Willow and Tara tried not to laugh. In front of them stood Xander and Anya. Back to back and bent over, with their hands on their knees, they gyrated their hips, moving their bottoms against one another.  
  
"Trying to make ends meet!," yelled Xander with a smile as he stood up.  
  
"Giles, I thought you said you were good at charades!," complained Buffy.  
  
"I, well, um..."  
  
He raised both arms palm up towards Xander and shrugged.  
  
"Good point," admitted Buffy.  
  
"You know, making ends meet is fun, but it's even more fun making..."  
  
"Anya!," warned Xander, nodding towards Dawn. Anya pouted and rolled her eyes.  
  
"So, who's next? Willow and Tara?," suggested Xander.  
  
Willow smiled but Tara seemed reluctant. Just then the phone rang.  
  
"Saved by the bell," whispered Tara.  
  
Giles picked up the phone.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hello Rupert."  
  
Giles immediately knew who he was talking to.  
  
"Quentin. This is a...surprise."  
  
The room became quiet. Everyone was staring at Giles except Dawn. She kept her eyes on her sister.  
  
"Rupert, is Buffy alright?"  
  
"Um, yes, of course. In fact, she's right here," replied Giles, glancing at Buffy. "Why do you...Quentin, what's wrong?"  
  
"That's a relief."  
  
Giles waited but Quentin didn't say anything else.  
  
"Quentin?"  
  
"Rupert, another Slayer has been called. I don't have to tell you what that means."  
  
"No. No, of course not. When did..."  
  
"I was just informed. I'm going to call Wesley, but find out what you can from your end. You're closer to the situation...in more ways than one. I'll be in touch."  
  
"Yes, of course. I..."  
  
Giles heard the phone disconnect. He slowly hung up the phone and turned to face the group.  
  
"Giles? Care to share?," asked Buffy.  
  
Giles looked into the eyes of his Slayer and had to look away.  
  
"Giles!"  
  
"A new Slayer has been called."  
  
And now Buffy slowly lowered her gaze, not focusing on anything as his words took meaning. The room seemed even quieter than before and only Xander and Willow avoided looking at Buffy. Willow walked around the couch and stood next to Buffy but didn't say anything.  
  
"So Faith's dead?," asked Anya.  
  
Dawn winced.  
  
"Yes," said Xander softly.  
  
"Oh," nodded Anya. "And that's bad?," she asked innocently.  
  
Buffy glared at Anya in disbelief.   
  
"Shh," whispered Xander, putting a hand around Anya's waist.  
  
"Buffy...you okay?," asked Willow, touching her shoulder with a hand.  
  
Buffy shrugged.  
  
"Giles, did he have any...details?," frowned Buffy.  
  
"No, not as yet. He just found out himself."  
  
Buffy inhaled, slowly and deeply.  
  
"You know, I think I'm going to go for a walk," said Buffy. She looked up and saw Giles staring at her.  
  
"Want me to come with?," offered Willow.  
  
"No, that's...you know, I think I would," nodded Buffy.  
  
"I'll get our coats. Xander, if it gets late..."  
  
"We'll see Tara home safely," finished Xander.  
  
"Thanks," said Willow. She smiled at Tara and Tara smiled back.  
  
"Call me. If you're going to stay with Buffy tonight, I mean," added Tara.  
  
Willow nodded and went to get the coats.  
  
"When?," said Buffy, looking at Giles.  
  
"Most likely it happened within the past twenty four hours. I'll call Wesley."  
  
Willow came back and handed Buffy her coat.  
  
"Ready?," asked Willow.  
  
Buffy nodded and slipped into her coat.  
  
*****  
  
Cordelia parked her car, got out and walked up to her door, a light bounce in her step. She laughed to herself, remembering the expression on Kate's face not one half hour ago. Fumbling with her keys she dropped them and, with a sigh, knelt down to pick them up. And then she noticed that the door was already open just a crack.  
  
Slowly standing up, she gently pushed the door open. The room was dark. Cordelia reached in from where she stood and flipped the light switch. Nothing happened. The room remained dark, illuminated only by a flickering candle on the kitchen counter that she had lit before she left to help freshen the air. Without even looking Cordelia knew the door to her bedroom was open as the stench from within overpowered any scent from the candle.  
  
"Wesley?," whispered Cordelia.  
  
Cordelia took a step into her apartment.  
  
"Gunn?," she whispered again.  
  
She became aware of a sound and soon realized that it was the dripping of the faucet in the kitchen sink. The slow rhythmic plop of the water echoed loudly in the empty room. Taking another two steps, Cordelia searched her apartment with her eyes, too nervous to turn her head. She dropped her keys into her pocketbook and set it down on the floor. Taking a deep breath, Cordelia silently crept to her bedroom.  
  
Peering inside, the first thing she noticed was that the bed was empty, the chains broken and scattered across the floor. The mirror behind the bed was not only shattered but torn from the wall. Lying still on the floor at the foot of the bed on his side was Wesley. Cordelia fought the urge to run to him.  
  
"Wesley!," whispered Cordelia, her voice cracking.  
  
Cordelia slowly backed away from the room and reached for the phone. Her hand was trembling so badly she could barely hold it. She held it to her ear and then stared uselessly at it. There was no dial tone. Looking down she saw that the cord had been wrenched from the wall. Needing both hands, she managed to place the phone back onto the cradle.  
  
Cordelia wrapped her arms around herself, trying to stop from shaking. Slowly backing up, she bumped into the table behind her. Hearing a noise she snapped her head around and saw a cross slowly sliding across the table. When it reached the middle of the table she lunged for it and held it up in front of her.  
  
"Thank you, Dennis," said Cordelia, mouthing the words instead of saying them.  
  
Still shaking, Cordelia swallowed once and tried to slow her breathing. And then she noticed a shadow next to the refrigerator that didn't seem to belong there. A moment passed before her mind accepted that this shadow was Faith.  
  
Faith stepped forward, now outlined by the dim candle light. Her mouth was covered in blood, her forehead ridged, changing her features so that the vampire hardly resembled the girl it once was. Cordelia tried to move but simply couldn't. And then she noticed that Faith was trembling too, almost as if she were as terrified as Cordelia herself. The vampire took another step closer.  
  
"F-Faith," whispered Cordelia dryly. "Faith, it's me. Cordelia."  
  
The vampire stood still, slightly tilting her head.  
  
"That's right...Cordelia. Remember? Let me help you," said Cordelia, her voice louder but lacking any confidence.  
  
The vampire took another step forward, kicking an empty white cup that once had blood in it.   
  
"Or not," frowned Cordelia.  
  
Another step and Cordelia raised the cross up higher in front of her. The vampire growled in anger and Cordelia slowly lowered the cross. The growling ceased.  
  
The room was silent except for the dripping of the water in the sink. With incredible speed the vampire rushed past Cordelia and ran out the door. Cordelia didn't even have time to scream. Without hesitating she ran into her bedroom and knelt down beside Wesley.  
  
"Wesley!"  
  
Cordelia rolled him over onto his back, shocked to see that there were no bite marks on his neck. There was an ugly welt above his left eye but Wesley was still breathing. She grabbed him firmly by the shoulders, cross still in one hand, and began to shake him.  
  
"Hey! Wake up. Wesley...please. You're scaring me," whimpered Cordelia.  
  
In the next room the door slowly creaked open. Cordelia closed her eyes, unable to hold back the tears. Gripping the cross tightly, she stood and walked briskly to the bedroom door.  
  
"That's it, bitch! Get the hell out of my apartment! Now!," screamed Cordelia, both hands holding the cross out in front of her. She heard footsteps and braced herself for Faith's attack.   
  
And then Gunn was standing in front of her, holding up his own cross and eyes very much wide open. He caught Cordelia as she fainted.  
  
END OF PART TWO   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	3. Part 3

Title: Into The Mirror  
  
PART THREE - Wishing And Hoping  
  
They had walked for a long time without talking. As soon as Willow felt she could read Buffy's mood her friend's expression would change and she was no longer sure what Buffy was thinking. So they simply walked. And when Buffy stopped Willow took two more steps before she realized she was alone. She turned around to see Buffy staring down a side alley.   
  
"This is Devereau Street, isn't it?," asked Willow as she walked back to Buffy's side.  
  
Buffy nodded.  
  
"So this is where it all started. When she killed Allan Finch," said Willow, sadly shaking her head. She glanced at Buffy but wasn't sure if she had been heard.  
  
"No. No, her descent started before this," corrected Buffy.  
  
"Right. Dead alcoholic mom, guilt over her first Watcher being killed...your first Watcher was killed, but you didn't blame the rest of the world," said Willow gently.  
  
"No. I blamed myself. Like she did," winced Buffy. "But that's not what I meant. Sure, she was hurting big time when she came to Sunnydale. Lots of baggage...but we could've helped her. I could've helped her. She wanted that, so badly."  
  
"Buffy, you did try to help! And look what she did to you!," protested Willow.  
  
"No. What she did...that was later. Faith needed someone to trust, someone to simply talk to. When I didn't tell her Angel was back...Will, I didn't even talk to her about our past together. And she wasn't exactly accepted into the gang, you know? She thought we were pushing her away. So when that Gwendolyn Post showed up it only reinforced her, her belief that she couldn't trust anyone."  
  
"Buffy, you can't blame yourself. You can't," comforted Willow, putting her arm over Buffy's shoulder.  
  
"Why not?," laughed Buffy. "She did."  
  
"You're not being fair to yourself. You're looking back in hindsight, knowing things now that you didn't know then...which, I guess, is hindsight, but you know what I'm trying to say," frowned Willow.  
  
Buffy didn't answer her. Instead she stared down into the alley.  
  
"Okay, so Faith didn't fit right in with the gang. But she didn't give us much of a chance, you know? And, well, maybe I shut her out too. You two were spending a lot of time together, which was good...I mean, you had a lot in common, what with the Slaying and, uh, the Slaying...and I guess I was a little jealous. You weren't talking to me and she was taking my best friend away from me," pouted Willow.  
  
"No, she wasn't. And I'm sorry you felt that way."  
  
"That was a long time ago. I'm just saying that I was a little at fault too. We all were," added Willow.   
  
"Will, I left her alone. She had no one. After we fought...after the whole Glove of Myhnegon thingy, I went to her hotel room, tried to make things right. She just blew me off. But there was a moment, just when I was about to leave, when she called my name. Faith tried...she just didn't know how to let her guard down. I, I should've gone back, convinced her that she could trust me. But I didn't. I didn't," sighed Buffy.  
  
"Hey! Enough of this guilt trip. What's done is done and she made her choices. You couldn't save Faith from herself. It wasn't meant to be. Besides, can you forgive her for what she did to you? Can you?," asked Willow rhetorically.  
  
Buffy looked up at the sky and took a deep breath.  
  
"I don't know. Part of me wants to...we were so alike that, that it scared me at times. You really can't know what it's like..."  
  
Buffy didn't finish her thought, seeing Willow almost wince.  
  
"But part of me can't forgive her because...because I still feel so betrayed. I can't get past the anger," admitted Buffy.  
  
Willow gave Buffy's shoulder a little squeeze. Buffy looked at Willow and smiled.  
  
"Faith got caught up in the Slaying. It was all she had. Giles, Faith, myself, we didn't understand then that the source of my strength has dark roots. Too much alone time just ain't good. It overwhelmed her. That's why I don't know what I would do without you guys," said Buffy, hugging Willow.  
  
"Well, I hope she's found peace now," said Willow softly, hugging Buffy back.  
  
"Yeah. Me too," nodded Buffy. "I really do."  
  
*****  
  
Cordelia opened her eyes...and saw Angel kneeling beside her.  
  
"Hey," said Angel, smiling.  
  
Cordelia quickly sat up and immediately felt light headed again.  
  
"Angel?"  
  
"It's okay, she's gone," he replied, steadying Cordelia by holding her arm.  
  
"Wesley!," shouted Cordelia, her eyes opened in concern.  
  
"I'm right here," came a voice from behind her. She turned to see Gunn helping Wesley to his feet.  
  
"You...you're alright?," asked Cordelia.  
  
"The jury's still out on that one, but I'll live," answered Wesley, rubbing his head.  
  
"What happened?," asked Angel.  
  
"Faith..."  
  
"Say no more," interrupted Cordelia sarcastically.  
  
"Actually...," began Wesley.  
  
"How much of a head start does she have?," demanded Angel, standing up and helping Cordelia to her feet.  
  
"Not really sure. I wasn't gone that long. Not more than, maybe, ten minutes," said Gunn.  
  
Angel walked to the nightstand and picked up a stake. He paused a moment and then looked at Cordelia.  
  
"What? You know what you have to do," glared Cordelia.  
  
"It's not that. There's only three stakes here. Faith took one."  
  
"Oh. Angel, be careful," frowned Cordelia.  
  
"Angel, there's something you should..."  
  
"No time, Wesley. There's a vampire I have to kill," snapped Angel.  
  
"But..."  
  
Angel was out the door before Wesley could finish. Cordelia gave him a questioning stare.  
  
"What?," asked Gunn, expressing what Cordelia was thinking.  
  
"Faith didn't attack me. I was trying to hold her down when one of the chains broke and hit me," explained Wesley.  
  
"So?," shrugged Gunn.  
  
"So why didn't she feed off of me?," asked Wesley.  
  
Gunn glanced from Wesley to Cordelia.  
  
"She panicked. Probably more interested in running away," shrugged Gunn.  
  
"And she didn't attack me. In fact, it was like she was trying to hide," said Cordelia, knitting her eyebrows together.  
  
"She knew enough to flip off the circuit breakers. And there was a cup on the floor, like she had gone into the refrigerator...instead of biting you," said Gunn.  
  
"Gunn, go warn Angel. It might be Faith," said Wesley.  
  
"That's the key word, isn't it? Might be," smirked Gunn.  
  
"Does it matter? We could just let him stake her," said Cordelia excitedly. She stopped smiling when Wesley glared at her.  
  
"Oh, this should be fun," whined Gunn, rolling his eyes. "Breaking up a cat fight between two vampires!"  
  
"Take a cross," suggested Cordelia.  
  
"What's that word you like to use? Oh yeah...duh!," replied Gunn as he left.  
  
"What's with the mirror?," wondered Cordelia.  
  
"Maybe she didn't like what she didn't see," said Wesley.  
  
"It was covered!," complained Cordelia.   
  
Gunn ran outside, cross in hand, and looked up and down the empty street.  
  
"Damn!"  
  
He listened for any sound off in the distance that would give him a clue as to where they had gone but he heard nothing. Sighing as he slumped his shoulders, Gunn blindly ran to his right, hoping he had made the right choice. He never noticed the drops of blood on the sidewalk just ten feet to his left.  
  
*****  
  
Surprisingly, they had only waited ten minutes before their luggage arrived. Each man picked up his suitcase without a word spoken and headed towards the far end of the terminal, where a rented car should be waiting for them.  
  
"Collins, aren't you going to check in with the boss?"  
  
"No. I'm going to have a pint or two and then sleep off some of this jet lag."  
  
"And besides, Smithy, what's the rush? Let's give the girl a chance to leave a trail for us. A body or two'll make it that much easier to find her."  
  
"I thought that's why we were sent, Weatherby. To prevent her from leaving any trails."  
  
"Oh, what the hell do we care?," answered Weatherby. "Collins is right, a pint or two is just the ticket I need 'bout now."  
  
The three men didn't speak again until they got to the car.  
  
"Right where he said it would be," smiled Weatherby.  
  
"Of course. The Council's being very careful this time round. They want no mistakes. And neither do I," warned Collins, glaring at his two companions.  
  
*****  
  
It had been easy to find her. Too easy. Even without the blood trail it was as if Angel could sense her. He knew it was because he had fed off of her, like he had fed off of Buffy. And, like Buffy, Faith would know he was nearby. Angel briefly wondered how many vampires had tasted the blood of not one but two Slayers...and lived to tell about it.  
  
He was on the third level of a parking garage. There were few cars around, even this early into the evening. Faith made no effort to hide. She stood at the far end of the garage, arms crossed in front of her, waiting. Angel no longer smelled her blood; the wounds on her arms where the chains had cut into her had closed over. He calmly walked towards her, keeping his eyes on the stake in her left hand.  
  
"Faith...we need to talk."  
  
Angel's voice echoed dully in the dank garage. Faith crouched down into defensive posture, drool dripping from the side of her mouth as she growled a warning.   
  
"Or not," muttered Angel, keeping the same pace as he approached her.  
  
Angel was close enough to see her eyes now. Yellow, bulging...and void of any emotion except hatred. Faith no longer waited for him to reach her. She charged at him, catching him off guard by not screaming first. He dodged the stake by leaning back as Faith wildly swung her fist at him. Angel shifted his weight and followed through with a punch, catching her on the left cheek. Faith's head snapped back but she managed to hold onto the stake.  
  
Spinning in the same direction as her head had turned, Faith knelt down and lashed out with her foot, catching Angel's ankle, pulling him off his feet. He landed hard on his back and rolled even as Faith drove the stake down towards his chest, driving the point into the cement where he had lain only a moment ago. Angel kicked her hip, knocking her off balance and giving him time to get back up on his feet.  
  
Faith was just a little slower getting up and Angel landed a vicious kick into her ribs, knocking Faith back down. She staggered to her hands and knees and Angel rammed his knee into her face. Rolling backwards on her shoulder, Faith flipped herself up and glared at him, her nose bloody. Her stake lie on the ground between them.  
  
This time Faith did scream, throwing a left hook at Angel's head which he easily ducked under, leaving her side unprotected. Angel jabbed hard, hitting the same ribs where he had kicked before and heard several snap. Wincing, Faith punched at him with her other hand but Angel easily blocked her with his left arm and managed to slam his fist into her jaw. Stunned, Faith swayed unsteadily on her feet.  
  
"Faith, it's me! Let me help you! Talk to me!"  
  
She spun, quicker than Angel thought she could, and kicked him in the face. Barely able to stay on his feet, Faith saw an opening and landed a punch to his ribs. Her reflexes were slow and her follow up was stopped by Angel grabbing her arm. Without hesitating, Faith drove her fangs into his forearm, breaking free as Angel screamed in pain.  
  
Faith circled him, unsteady on her feet but seething with anger. Angel jumped into the air, his heel landing squarely on her cheekbone. Faith hadn't been able to duck or raise her arms in time. She staggered backwards and would've fallen to the ground if she hadn't bounced off a car behind her. Facing Angel, she raised her arms but seemed unable to focus on him.  
  
Angel realized that Faith still had her Slayer strength but was very weak from what she had gone through. He punched her face hard once, twice, three times...Faith made no effort to block or defend. Reaching out, Angel grabbed her left arm and wrenched it up behind her. Faith's shoulder popped out of it's socket and she gasped in agony. Driving his heel into her calf, Faith collapsed face down on the cold floor. Grabbing her hair, Angel smashed her face into the cement and then sprang to his feet.  
  
Slipping the stake out of his back pocket, Angel again kicked Faith in the ribs with all the force he could. She lay there, unmoving. With his left hand he picked her up by the arm and once again drove his fist into her jaw, knocking her onto her back. Squatting down, pinning her with a knee on either shoulder, Angel raised the stake above his head.  
  
"Forgive me, Faith. Please...forgive me."  
  
Angel gripped the stake with both hands. Faith's eyes were closed but she was crying.  
  
"Angel," whispered Faith through swollen lips.  
  
Angel hesitated, suddenly unsure of himself.  
  
"Angel...it's me. It's me," cried Faith, her voice barely a whisper. She cried harder, her eyes still closed and her body shaking with spasms.   
  
"Faith?"  
  
Angel dropped the stake and jumped off of her, kneeling by her side.  
  
"It's...me," sobbed Faith, her voice small and wracked with pain.  
  
"Oh my God. Faith...why didn't you tell me!? Why!?," yelled Angel.  
  
Faith was limp like a forgotten doll. As gently as he could, Angel slid one arm under her knees and the other under her shoulders. Faith cried out in pain, turning her face away from him. Angel closed his eyes for a moment, fought back his own tears, and carried Faith home.  
  
*****  
  
There was a knock at the door and Cordelia ran over, eagerly opening it. Gunn stood there, his forlorn look telling her that he hadn't found them.  
  
"You had to knock?," asked Cordelia.  
  
"Just being polite," shrugged Gunn.  
  
"Get in here," ordered Cordelia, shutting the door behind him.  
  
"No luck?," inquired Wesley.  
  
Gunn shook his head.  
  
"How you doin'?," asked Gunn.  
  
"Just a headache," replied Wesley.  
  
There was another knock at the door. Cordelia shook her head and opened the door. And she inhaled sharply, seeing Angel standing there with an unconscious Faith in his arms.  
  
"What's with the knocking? And why are you just standing there?," asked Cordelia.  
  
"Um, Cordelia...you have to invite Faith in."  
  
"What? She's already been in here!"  
  
"It doesn't work that way," frowned Angel.  
  
"Oh. Well, in that case...no!"  
  
"What? Cordelia, she's hurting. Bad. I need to get her inside."  
  
Cordelia still seemed unconvinced. Wesley and Gunn stood behind her in the doorway.  
  
"She has her soul!," complained Angel.  
  
For the first time Cordelia looked at her face and she winced.  
  
"Angel! You had to beat it out of her? What, you couldn't just ask her twenty questions?," snapped Cordelia.  
  
"Cordelia!," yelled Angel.  
  
"Oh, alright already! Faith, you are welcome into my home. Please come in," sighed Cordelia.  
  
"Thank you," said Angel as he walked in.  
  
"Yeah, well don't think I'm not reconsidering your invite here! I might just call Willow and get her to revoke it," whined Cordelia.   
  
Angel ignored her and eased Faith onto the bed.  
  
"Angel, is there anything I can do?," asked Wesley.  
  
"Sure. Get me a container of blood. Gunn, come hold Faith down."  
  
Gunn opened his eyes wider and didn't move.  
  
"Her shoulder is separated and I need to pop it back into place," explained Angel.  
  
"Oh. Right."  
  
Gunn pressed down on Faith's upper shoulders close to her neck. Angel grasped her left arm firmly and forced it upward, feeling a satisfying pop. Faith's eyes opened and she hissed in pain, causing Gunn to jump back off the bed. But Faith made no effort to move.  
  
"Faith, you're at Cordelia's. You need to drink some blood. It'll help with the pain and you'll heal a lot quicker," said Angel.  
  
Faith closed her eyes and turned her head away from him. Angel took the cup from Wesley as he entered the room and herded them out of the bedroom.  
  
"Can you guys leave us alone for a little while?," asked Angel, not expecting an answer.  
  
"Of course," agreed Wesley.  
  
Cordelia just stood there, arms crossed and staring at Angel.  
  
"What? You said guys. I'm not a guy. And I'm going in there," announced Cordelia firmly.  
  
"Why?," asked Angel, confused.  
  
"I...I need to do something. I can't just sit around and do nothing."  
  
"Cordelia..."  
  
"Angel. I want to help," smiled Cordelia sadly. "And, well...just look at her."  
  
Angel hesitated but then nodded. They walked back into the bedroom...and saw that the bed was empty. Cordelia's eyes went wide and she glanced at Angel. He checked and saw that the window was still shut. Cordelia stood up on her toes and peered over the bed. She elbowed Angel in the side and nodded in that direction.  
  
Faith was huddled in the corner, knees drawn up to her chest. And she was crying. Angel walked around the bed and knelt down beside her.  
  
"Faith, here. Take this," said Angel softly, handing her the cup.  
  
Faith shook her head and wouldn't look at him.  
  
"Faith, trust me, you need this."  
  
"Trust you?," hissed Faith. "Trust you!? Like I trusted you before?," accused Faith.  
  
"What do you mean?," asked Angel.  
  
Faith put her head down on her knees and just sat there, pulling her legs closer to her body.  
  
"Faith..."  
  
"What did you do to me? No, I know what you did. I want to know why," demanded Faith, her voice cracking.  
  
"What? Faith, it was your choice. I only did what you asked me to," said Angel, reaching a hand out.  
  
"Don't touch me, you bastard!," screamed Faith. Behind Angel Cordelia jumped and took a step back. Angel withdrew his hand.  
  
"I didn't ask for this! Who...who could possibly want this!?," yelled Faith, finally looking up at him. Tears ran down her cheeks and there was more pain than anger in her eyes.  
  
"No. No, I explained this, I said you would still have your soul. It was the only way to..."  
  
"Bastard! I never agreed...I never said anything. I didn't. Trust? Angel, you raped me!," screamed Faith. "And tell me you didn't get off on it!"  
  
Angel sat back on his heels, numb.  
  
"You god damned raped me!," whispered Faith, hiding her face so that he wouldn't see her tears. Unable to hold back any longer, she leaned against the wall and moaned as sobs shook her body.  
  
Angel sat there, staring, unable to move, not knowing what to say. He felt Cordelia's hand on his shoulder. He stood up slowly and faced her.  
  
"Cordy, I didn't...I swear I didn't...I wouldn't! You have to believe me," begged Angel.  
  
Cordelia exhaled slowly, puffing out her cheeks.  
  
"Cordelia, I swear..."  
  
"Angel, not now. Just go."  
  
"But..."  
  
"Give me the cup. And go. Now. I'll stay with her," said Cordelia coldly.  
  
Angel glanced back at Faith and shook his head. He handed the cup to Cordelia without looking at her and left the room. When she heard the door click shut behind her, Cordelia knelt down next to Faith. Faith looked up, her face mostly hidden behind her long hair. Even so, Faith quickly looked away.  
  
"Don't look at me," whispered Faith.  
  
"Faith, I'm only trying..."  
  
"I don't want your pity," interrupted Faith, her swollen lips making it hard for her to speak.  
  
"Good. 'Cause that's one thing you won't get from me," replied Cordelia.  
  
Faith reacted by covering her ears as if she were in pain.  
  
"Hey, if you don't want to hear what I have to say..."  
  
"No, it's not that!," yelled Faith. "You don't understand what's happening to me!"  
  
Faith lowered her hands and looked back at Cordelia, her face still mostly hidden by her hair.  
  
"I can hear your heartbeat," whispered Faith, her voice heavy with both grief and terror.  
  
"Oh. Wow. Um, okay...Faith, you're right. I can't understand what's happening to you. But I know you're in pain. And this will help," said Cordelia, raising the cup towards her.  
  
Faith stared at the cup but didn't move.  
  
"You...you think if I drank that, maybe I could change my face back? I mean, I'm trying...I really am. But I just can't seem to do it," cried Faith, tears flowing freely now.  
  
"Yes. I think...it's just that your in so much pain. You can't control it, but this will help. I'm not asking you to trust me, but...I know things. From being around Angel," smiled Cordelia, leaning forward to hand Faith the cup.   
  
Faith reached out and Cordelia leaned in closer, causing the cross around her neck to sway outwards from her body. Faith recoiled and growled, turning her face to the wall again. It took a moment for Cordelia to realize what had happened.  
  
"Oh, Faith! I'm sorry. I forgot..."  
  
Faith was shaking again, as if she was cold. Cordelia set the cup on the floor between them.  
  
"Tell you what, I'll take it off," said Cordelia, reaching behind her neck to find the clasp.  
  
"No! No...please don't. I, I don't trust myself," warned Faith.  
  
"Hey, thanks for being honest," smiled Cordelia nervously as she abruptly dropped her hands.  
  
Faith tentatively reached out and picked up the cup. She raised it to her lips and paused, glancing up at Cordelia.  
  
"Um, could you...turn around?," suggested Faith.  
  
"Right. Turn my back on a hungry vampire. How about I just back up a little bit and sorta look the other way," replied Cordelia, already moving away from Faith.  
  
"Thanks," mumbled Faith.  
  
Cordelia sat on her butt and looked to one side but cringed, hearing the gurgling of the blood as Faith quickly drank. Out of the corner of her eye Cordelia saw Faith place the cup back on the floor between them. Looking up, she saw Faith pull her hair back with both hands, revealing her face fully. Even though it was swollen and badly bruised, it was her human form once again. Cordelia smiled for her.  
  
"Told ya," teased Cordelia.  
  
Faith nodded but didn't smile. She swallowed, causing Cordelia to wrinkle her nose. Faith quickly looked away again.  
  
"I don't deserve this," said Faith flatly.  
  
"No, I don't suppose you do. I mean, being a vampire must suck. But I guess that goes without saying. The sucking part, I mean," rambled Cordelia.  
  
"No. I meant you helping me. After everything I did to you," explained Faith, looking like she might cry again.  
  
"Oh."  
  
"So...why?," asked Faith with a shrug, making eye contact with Cordelia.  
  
"It's...what we do," said Cordelia, answering Faith's shrug with one of her own.  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Hey, it's not like I'm ready to make you my best friend or anything," retorted Cordelia.  
  
"Right. Wouldn't want to replace...whoever."  
  
"Right. Whoever," repeated Cordelia, suddenly trying to name even one friend, let alone her best friend.  
  
"So...Angel really forced himself on you?," asked Cordelia cautiously.  
  
Faith seemed to consider this for a moment.  
  
"I never asked him to turn me. That much I know. The rest? Kinda vague, actually. I don't remember much," admitted Faith.  
  
Cordelia looked at the floor, not knowing what to say.  
  
"God, I wish I was dead," sighed Faith.  
  
"Uh, Faith? You are," frowned Cordelia.  
  
Faith stared at her, then smiled. And then she began to laugh, causing Cordelia to start laughing.  
  
"Damn, girl! Don't make me laugh!," smiled Faith, holding her side.  
  
"Sorry," said Cordelia, covering her mouth with a hand but still unable to stifle her giggles.  
  
Faith closed her eyes and leaned back against the wall behind her.  
  
"Feel any better?," asked Cordelia.  
  
"Well, if you hadn't noticed, I'm not staring at your neck anymore," smiled Faith.  
  
Cordelia rolled her eyes.  
  
"Hey, I'm just kidding."  
  
"Whew. That's a relief," said Cordelia.  
  
"Actually, I'm still looking at it," laughed Faith, immediately grabbing her side.  
  
"Enough with the gallows humor already," complained Cordelia.  
  
They sat there for a minute or two, not speaking.  
  
"Cordelia, can you help me up onto the bed? I don't think I can even stand up by myself," grimaced Faith.  
  
"Of course."  
  
Cordelia stood and saw Faith watching her. Cordelia covered her cross with one hand and extended the other towards Faith.  
  
"Is this okay?'  
  
Faith bit her lower lip and nodded. She grasped Cordelia's hand and let herself be pulled up, crying out in pain. She sat down on the edge of the bed and held her side, her face contorted in agony.  
  
"Do you want to lay down?," asked Cordelia, wincing. Faith shook her head.  
  
"Hey, uh, sorry about the mirror. I kinda lost it there. Not seeing my reflection really freaked me out," frowned Faith.  
  
"Don't worry about it," said Cordelia, waving her hand. "I'll be sending a redecorating bill to a certain vampire we know. In fact, first thing tomorrow morning, I'm going on a shopping spree for you. Play up the guilt right, girl, and Angel might just spring for a whole season's worth of clothes."  
  
"Oh God, I must look like hell," said Faith, looking down at herself.  
  
"I was thinking more like death warmed over," smiled Cordelia.  
  
Faith smiled but didn't laugh this time. In fact, she looked upset. Cordelia knew that she should change the subject.  
  
"Want some more blood? I could go..."  
  
"No," gasped Faith. "Please, just, just stay with me? This might make you laugh, coming from me, but...well, I'm scared. And I don't want to be left alone. Not right now," added Faith, beginning to cry again.  
  
"Oh, Faith."  
  
Cordelia felt her own tears coming, and she was barely able to hold them back. She hesitated only for a second or two, then reached behind her neck and undid the cross, tossing it onto the floor. Faith heard it land on the carpet and looked at Cordelia, only crying harder.  
  
Cordelia opened her arms and Faith rested her head on her shoulder.  
  
"Thank you," whispered Faith. "Thank you."  
  
Cordelia began to cry, gently stroking Faith's hair in a feeble attempt to comfort the girl.  
  
"Cordelia...I'm dead. I'm really dead," sobbed Faith.  
  
"I know," whispered Cordelia, closing her eyes.  
  
END OF PART THREE  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	4. Part 4

Title: Into The Mirror  
  
PART FOUR - The Calm   
  
Quentin Travers stared at the phone, stonelike, each hand resting on the arm of the chair he sat in. The only sound in the room was the ticking of the grandfather clock.  
  
*****  
  
"What's happened to her...it's creepy, I tell you," said Cordelia, whispering as softly as she could. She was standing in the kitchen with Wesley, glancing over her shoulder as she spoke.  
  
"Well, of course it is. The whole transformation into a vampire is rather...ew!," said Wesley, keeping his voice low.  
  
"No! I mean who is this needy, whiny person in the next room? It's just so out of character, you know?," asked Cordelia.  
  
"Oh. That transformation. Cordelia, I should remind you that even though we are whispering, vampires have exceptional hearing."  
  
"I know that. I checked in on her a while back, just after sunrise. She's dead to the world."  
  
Wesley gave Cordelia his best 'oh really?' look.  
  
"Guess that goes without saying," said Cordelia, smiling awkwardly.  
  
"You should lay down on the couch, get some sleep," suggested Wesley. "I need to talk to Angel. When I went back to the office, there were three messages on the answering machine. The first was a potential new client. Something about a possible ghost in her attic."  
  
"If that was Mrs. Miller, Angel has already checked that out. She's got squirrels in the attic."  
  
"Oh. Cute, furry little creatures," smiled Wesley. "But I guess they could do a lot of damage to a home."  
  
"Nooo, I mean she's nuts," explained Cordelia.  
  
"Oh. Moving on then, there was a message from Giles, saying that the Council informed him that a new Slayer had been called and to please call him."  
  
"Wow, these Slayers don't waste any time, do they?," asked Cordelia.  
  
Wesley allowed himself a brief smile.  
  
"The third call was from Quentin Travers himself, asking if we knew what had happened to Faith. I don't know what we should tell him," said Wesley, taking a deep breath.  
  
"Maybe he'll be happy? I mean, what the hell, he's got three Slayers now!"  
  
Wesley stared at Cordelia for a moment.  
  
"Right. Off to bed it is. Good night," said Cordelia, her face slightly red.  
  
"Goodnight. I'll have to think about this. We definitely have a problem on our hands."  
  
"Yes, we do."  
  
"Angel!," said Wesley, turning around.  
  
"Couldn't sleep?," asked Cordelia, hinting at the obvious.  
  
Angel shook his head and looked down.  
  
"Where's Gunn?," asked Angel.  
  
"I sent him home to get some sleep. Where you should be," admonished Cordelia.  
  
"Wesley, you were her Watcher," said Angel, ignoring Cordelia. "What we tell the Council and what we tell Giles and...and the others...maybe it should be two different things?"  
  
"How do you mean?," asked Wesley.  
  
"Giles can know the truth. He'd understand. Or at least keep it a secret. But the Council wanted Faith dead when she was alive. If they found out about this..."  
  
"You think they'd...," began Cordelia, looking at Angel and then Wesley.  
  
"They would," sighed Cordelia, shaking her head.  
  
"Perhaps we could just tell them we don't know for now, to buy us some time," suggested Wesley.  
  
"Don't I get a say in this?"  
  
Everyone turned, surprised by Faith's sudden appearance. She stood behind Angel, leaning against the doorframe for support, her arms wrapped around herself. Her faced was less swollen but still black and blue.  
  
"Faith. It's light out...you should be sleeping. How...how do you feel?," asked Wesley.  
  
"That's just it. I don't feel anything. Is this what it feels like to be dead, Angel?"  
  
Angel didn't answer her, but neither did he look away.  
  
"Cordelia, if it's alright, I'd like to take a shower before I go back to bed," said Faith, still staring at Angel.  
  
"Oh. Sure. In fact, that's a great idea. I can change the sheets while you're in there. And hey! I bought a few things at the store...thought you'd like a change of clothes. Pretty sure I got the size right. I mean, not to brag or anything, but I have an eye for that kind thing, you know?," winked Cordelia.  
  
"Thanks. That was...I really appreciate it," smiled Faith weakly.  
  
"Uh, hope you don't mind, but I stayed away from leather. A little too obvious, considering the circumstances," shrugged Cordelia.  
  
"Faith, isn't there something you want to tell us? Before we call anyone," said Angel.  
  
"Like what?," sneered Faith.  
  
"Well, for starters, there's the issue of your escaping from prison. Oh, and...the dead guard," said Angel flatly.  
  
Faith closed her eyes and shook her head.  
  
"Look, I know what you're thinking, but I didn't kill anyone."  
  
No one said anything but they didn't take their eyes from Faith.  
  
"I'm telling the truth! There's this gang in prison, not really into the rough stuff but they have their hands into everything. You want something, you go through them. Drugs, boyfriends, girlfriends, protection...you name it. They have most of the guards bought off. Not sure if they have the warden, too, or if he just looks the other way."  
  
Faith lowered her arms and shifted her weight from one foot to the other, wincing as she did.  
  
"They didn't bother me. Not much, anyway, 'cause I didn't want anything. Kept to myself, mostly. A couple of the girls resented that. So...there was this one guard causing them some trouble, poking his nose in where it didn't belong. To take him out, I was set up."  
  
Faith looked from Angel to Wesley to Cordelia, unsure if they believed her. But she still had their attention.  
  
"We came back from a work detail, picking up garbage. I knew something was up...no one was talking and a few of the girls kept staring at me. I was the last one out of the van, I got out...and someone shoved a gun into my hand. She ran inside and shut the door. I tried the door but I was locked out. On the other side of the van was the body of the guard."  
  
Cordelia looked down and Wesley sighed. Angel's face didn't reveal what he was thinking.  
  
"He was already dead! Next thing I know a guard is yelling at me to drop the gun. So I did. And then I freaked, knowing what was happening. And I ran. He fired four times. Only hit me once," laughed Faith.  
  
"Faith, why did you run? You could've explained what happened!," said Wesley.  
  
"And you think they would've believed me?," yelled Faith, grabbing her side. "Hell, you don't even believe me."  
  
"No. You did the right thing," said Angel softly.  
  
Cordelia raised her eyebrows and stared at Angel. Wesley was about to argue but changed his mind.  
  
"Why was Kate so interested in you?," asked Angel.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Kate Lockley. Your arresting officer," added Angel.  
  
"Didn't know she was," shrugged Faith. "Only saw her once the whole time I was there. She had a notebook with her. Would look at it, look at me...and then she started to cry. She got up and left. Never saw her again."  
  
The room got quiet very quickly. Faith closed her eyes and leaned up against the doorframe again.  
  
"Tell them the truth. Tell them I'm dead."  
  
Faith started gingerly walking towards the bathroom, favoring one leg.  
  
"Oh, wait! Let me cover the mirror," cried Cordelia, running ahead of her into the bathroom.  
  
Faith glanced at Angel but quickly looked away.  
  
"Faith..."  
  
"Not now, Angel. Not now," snapped Faith.  
  
"Faith," said Wesley.  
  
She looked up at him.  
  
"For what it's worth, I believe you," said Wesley. He turned and walked away, not waiting for her reaction.   
  
"All set!," announced Cordelia. "You'll find a couple of shopping bags in there to rummage through," she added with a smile.  
  
Faith smiled and nodded, her eyes still on Wesley's back as he walked into the next room.  
  
"Need help getting out of that shirt? Might be hard to lift it over your head," frowned Cordelia.  
  
"No. But...thanks," nodded Faith.  
  
"Okay. Just call me if you need anything," smiled Cordelia.  
  
Faith and Angel looked at her. Cordelia tried to smile again.  
  
"I'll go make the bed," said Cordelia, quickly walking away.  
  
Faith looked at Angel. This time he looked away first.  
  
*****  
  
"No, read the local papers, ask some questions, just keep a low profile. You are not to have any contact with Wesley. All we know at this point is that she is dead."  
  
"The earliest we could retrieve you would be tomorrow, so consider this a well deserved vacation. I'll contact you again after I've talked to Wesley."  
  
"Very Well."  
  
Quentin hung up the phone. He rested his chin on his hand for a moment and then opened his desk drawer, taking out a leather bound address book.  
  
*****  
  
"Cordelia?"  
  
Faith came out of the bathroom holding a brush, her hair damp and a tangled mess. She had managed to get into a plain white button down blouse and a pair of denim jeans. Her feet were bare. Cordelia was asleep on the couch. Faith looked down at the brush in her hand and shook her head.  
  
She knew Angel was in the room with her even before she turned around. He was standing against the far wall with his arms crossed, watching her.  
  
"I was going to ask her to help me brush my hair. I'm...I'm having a little trouble," said Faith, wrinkling her nose.  
  
"It takes some getting used to. Not using the mirror, I mean," said Angel.  
  
"Um, actually, it's that I can't raise my arm up," said Faith, looking down at the floor.  
  
"Oh."  
  
She allowed Angel to stand in front of her but still didn't look up.  
  
"Here, let me help," offered Angel softly.  
  
Faith felt him take the brush from her hand.  
  
"Sit down at the table," said Angel, gently guiding Faith with one hand on her shoulder.  
  
He pulled a chair out for her and she sat down, her back to him. She felt the brush pull slowly through her hair. When he hit a snag Angel gently tugged the brush past it. Faith closed her eyes, her mind begging for sleep but her body unwilling to move.  
  
"Faith," began Angel, still brushing her hair as he talked. "I've been thinking. A lot. It doesn't matter that I know what you're going through. Or that I want to teach you about...things you need to know. I want to help you, so badly. More importantly, you have to believe me when I tell you that this is what I thought you wanted. Another chance."  
  
Angel stopped, put the brush on the table and bent down on one knee next to Faith. She opened her eyes but stared out ahead of her.  
  
"I never would've forced you. Never. Did I enjoy what I did? You're beginning to understand that more than just a part of me did. But I think you're also beginning to understand that...that I hate what I am. What we are. And that I hate what I had to do even more. I'm sorry. But if I had to do it all over again, you would still be sitting here."  
  
Faith turned her face ever so slightly towards Angel.  
  
"I want to believe you, Angel. I need to. And, to be honest, there's a lot that I don't remember. It's...real confusing. But I didn't ask for this. I didn't. Maybe it's just regret that I'm feeling, or betrayal, or anger...I just don't know," said Faith, shaking her head. She turned to face him.  
  
"This much I do know. I can't do this alone. I need you. Maybe that's what I'm most afraid of. More than anything else. So don't apologize. What's done is done. Just...just help me deal. Okay?"  
  
Angel nodded and turned his head so that she couldn't see his face. He grabbed the brush and stood behind her, placing one hand on her shoulder, and began brushing her hair again. Faith raised her right hand, hesitated, then placed it over Angel's. He stopped brushing for just a moment, again glad that she couldn't see his face.  
  
"That's it? You're letting me off that easy?," asked Angel.  
  
"I'm not going to give in to the anger. Not this time. It's just too easy to lose myself in that...too easy to get lost. Look at what happened the last time, Angel. And not only to me," said Faith quietly.  
  
"Faith, you don't need to blame..."   
  
"I wanted to kill you, you know. And I would have. That's how much I hated you at that moment," whispered Faith.  
  
This time Angel didn't stop what he was doing. He gently brushed her hair as if he hadn't heard.  
  
"And when I knew I couldn't...I wanted you to kill me. Just like the last time we fought. But you wouldn't do it. Just like the last time," sighed Faith.  
  
"You're wrong."  
  
"What?," asked Faith, slightly turning her head.  
  
"You didn't want to die. If you did, you never would have called out my name," said Angel confidently.  
  
Faith closed her eyes and let Angel brush her hair.  
  
"Wesley went to get some more blood. He should be back any minute. You need to sleep, but you should drink before you go to bed. It'll help with the healing," explained Angel.  
  
"Angel, I don't want human blood. Ever. Just so everyone knows. Okay?"  
  
Angel smiled.  
  
"I'm serious. You have to promise me, Angel. You have to."  
  
"I promise. More than that, I understand. All done."  
  
Angel gave her shoulder a little squeeze and Faith quickly lowered her hand, forgetting that it was still covering his. She stood up and faced him.  
  
"Thanks," said Faith, smiling uncomfortably as she took the brush from him. "I'll go put this back."  
  
There was a knock at the door and they heard Wesley call out Angel's name. Faith went into the bathroom as Angel opened the door.  
  
"I was only able to get two quarts. I hope that will be enough," said Wesley, placing the bag on the counter.  
  
"It'll do. I won't have any."  
  
Angel nodded in the direction of the couch and Wesley saw that Cordelia was asleep. Wesley smiled his approval as Angel opened the bag and put the containers in the refrigerator, sniffing them as he did to make sure they were pig's blood. The phone rang and Wesley picked it up on the first ring, hoping that it didn't wake up Cordelia. He glanced at her but she didn't stir.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
There was a moment of silence before Quentin spoke.  
  
"Hello Wesley. I was wondering if you got my message."  
  
"Quentin!," said Wesley, making eye contact with Angel. "Why, yes. Yes I did. I would've returned your call sooner, but, well, we just don't know much yet. All we're sure of is that Faith was shot during an escape from prison. And, uh, since the next Slayer has been called, she's dead. Obviously," added Wesley.  
  
"Obviously," repeated Quentin.  
  
"I'm surprised you knew this number," said Wesley nervously.  
  
"You shouldn't be. Being successful means keeping tabs on small details, Wesley."  
  
"Yes. Yes, of course. Does the Council care what we do with the body? Assuming we find it, that is," gulped Wesley.  
  
"No. You can make the arrangements if you like. You were her Watcher, after all. Such a waste. Still, it could have been worse."  
  
"Worse? How?," demanded Wesley, somewhat shocked.  
  
"Are you forgetting her last foray among civilians? We even had a Retrieval Team in place."  
  
"You do?"  
  
Faith came out of the bathroom and excitedly walked over to the empty bag on the counter, peering inside of it. She didn't notice Angel waving his arms at her.  
  
"Hey, Wes. Where's the blood? Thought I'd have a snack before bedtime," said Faith, smiling as she turned around.  
  
Angel's eyes went wide and Wesley put his hand over the mouth of the telephone. Faith's mouth opened and she raised her eyes in a questioning gesture. Wesley raised the phone to his ear but all he heard was a dial tone.  
  
"Oh dear," winced Wesley.  
  
*****  
  
"Giles, they haven't called yet?," asked Buffy.  
  
"Not since the last time you asked," answered Giles patiently.  
  
"Well, let's call Cordelia. We have her number?," wondered Buffy out loud.  
  
"Uh-oh," sighed Willow, glancing up from her computer screen.  
  
"I know that sound. It's never a good," sighed Buffy.  
  
"No. It isn't. I was checking through some of the LA papers. Faith made the front pages again," scowled Willow.  
  
Buffy and Giles made their way behind Willow and stared at the monitor. Faith's photo was printed below the headline which Buffy read out loud.  
  
"One guard dead in prison escape...wounded prisoner sought."  
  
Buffy shook her head and didn't read any more of the article.  
  
"So she must've died from her wounds. Knowing Faith, her body is probably lying in some seedy motel or an abandoned warehouse," said Willow.  
  
"And she was all alone, even at the end," said Giles, taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes. He placed them back on his nose and walked away without looking at either Buffy or Willow.  
  
Willow looked at Buffy, not concealing her surprise. Buffy turned and watched Giles as he left the room.  
  
*****  
  
"Cordelia, let's go!"  
  
"Just a minute, Angel! I need to put on some lipstick!," complained Cordelia.  
  
Cordelia fumbled through a drawer, finally settling on a dark shade of red. She looked up and groaned, seeing the wall where her mirror had been. Digging through the drawer again, she found a compact mirror and held it up, applying the lipstick.  
  
"Cordelia!"  
  
"Be right there!," yelled Cordelia, rolling her lips together and taking one last look into the mirror. She tossed the compact onto the dresser.  
  
The sun had only set a few minutes earlier when they came out of her apartment. Angel opened the door of his car for Cordelia to get in but she just stood there. He looked up and saw why.  
  
"Hello Angel. Cordelia," nodded Kate. "In a hurry to go somewhere?"  
  
"Actually, we were..."  
  
"Actually, sir, we don't care," said a man standing behind Kate.  
  
"Oh, where are my manners? This is Sargent Morgan. He has a search warrant for your apartment. So if you don't mind?," smiled Kate, extending her arm back towards the apartment.  
  
Cordelia gave Angel a very worried look.  
  
"And why would you want to search Cordelia's apartment?," asked Angel.  
  
"Oh, Angel. Where do I start? Obstruction of justice, aiding and abetting, harboring a fugitive...let's just get this over with, shall we?"  
  
Angel slammed the car door shut and walked back the way they had come.  
  
As Cordelia got her keys out Kate glanced at the floor. She and Angel went inside but Kate hesitated, pulling up the corner of the welcome mat with a heel of her shoe. There were no stains on the carpet beneath. Sargent Morgan raised one eyebrow at her as they entered the apartment.  
  
Cordelia was sitting down on the couch, her head in her hands. Angel stood by the door to Cordelia's bedroom with his arms crossed. He simply gestured with his head for Kate to go in. Kate flashed the Sargent an apprehensive look but went into the bedroom. She only took one step.  
  
Faith was lying on the bed, arms by her sides.   
  
"Go on, Kate. This is what you came for, isn't it?," asked Angel. "Oh, she's quite dead. Check her pulse if you don't believe me."  
  
Kate didn't move. She slowly turned her head towards Angel and he was shocked to see that she actually looked sad.  
  
"Want me to check out the corpse?," asked the Sargent.  
  
"No. I'll do it," replied Kate.  
  
Kate stood by the bed for a moment, looking down at Faith. She bent over and placed a hand on Faith's cold neck, knowing that there would be no pulse. As she leaned over, the cross that hung around her neck swung free, dipping alarmingly close to Faith's face. Angel's eyes opened wide but he didn't move.   
  
As Kate stood up, she stared in the direction of the dresser.  
  
"What happened here?," she asked.  
  
"A little accident. Got clumsy moving the furniture around," said Angel flatly.  
  
"You lied to me, Angel. Why didn't you tell me about Faith?," asked Kate, glaring at him.  
  
"I didn't lie. I told you if I ever saw her alive again I would tell you," smiled Angel.  
  
"Want me to run him in?," asked the Sargent.  
  
"Before you do, there's another problem you should be aware of. Faith told us that she was set up. That whole escape was simply a cover to kill that officer. He was taken out because he wouldn't take a bribe. Unlike most of the other guards in that prison."  
  
Sargent Morgan quickly and obviously became upset at hearing that accusation.  
  
"You've got a gang running that prison, Sargent Morgan. Where exactly do you think Faith got that gun from? It was slapped into her hand and she was locked out, there to take the fall. That gun have any more bullets in it? I doubt it. Faith didn't have many friends there, did she Kate?"  
  
"It was my impression that she didn't have many friends anywhere, Angel. And you still haven't answered my question."  
  
"I would have told you. Eventually. I couldn't at first. I was too angry. Angry at what was allowed to happen to her," added Angel with venom.  
  
Kate didn't respond to that and she didn't look at Angel.  
  
"We want to bury her in Sunnydale. She had friends there once. If that's alright with you, that is," said Angel.  
  
Kate simply nodded her assent.  
  
"I have a question," said the Sargent. "You changed her into different clothes. Why? They don't look like what you'd bury someone in."  
  
"We didn't want her friends to see what happened to her. These aren't the clothes she'll have on at her funeral," said Angel.  
  
"But her friends will find out what really happened to her, won't they, Angel?," smiled Kate.  
  
Angel stared at her, unsure of what she had meant but afraid to ask.  
  
"Should I send for the coroner?," asked Sargent Morgan.  
  
"No. I'll do you a favor, Angel, and take care of the paperwork. In my line of work...well, lately, I've gotten to know the coroner on a first name basis."  
  
"But..."  
  
"Let's go, Sargent. Be seeing you, Angel. We'll let ourselves out."  
  
Angel stood there, staring at Faith. As soon as the door clicked shut Faith opened her eyes and touched her face with her hand.  
  
"Is there a mark on my face? My God, it felt like a white-hot poker was an inch from my skin!," said Faith.  
  
"No. No mark. You were amazing. Faith, even I would've flinched with a cross that close to me," said Angel, shaking his head.  
  
"What can I say, tough guy? Women just have a higher threshold for pain," smiled Faith.  
  
"What now?," asked Cordelia, suddenly standing in the doorway.  
  
"Plan B. Road trip," answered Angel.  
  
"Huh?," grunted Faith, sitting up.  
  
"Even if the cops aren't looking for you here, the Council will be. Los Angeles isn't safe for you right now," explained Angel.  
  
"So it's plan B as in Buffy? Oh yeah, the Council would never think to look in Sunnydale," said Faith.  
  
"Got any better ideas?," inquired Angel.  
  
"Sure. Plan S as in Seattle. I hear in rains a lot there. Suddenly I'm appreciating the thought of many cloudy days," said Faith.  
  
"No. We're not running. I need to talk to Giles."  
  
"So call him. And we? We don't have to. I have to. This is your home now, Angel."  
  
"You said it yourself, Faith. You need me. You're not ready to be on your own yet and you know it. And I don't want to risk using the phone. Now come help me get a few things together," ordered Angel, leaving the room before she could reply.  
  
Faith stood there, staring at Cordelia.  
  
"Once he's made his mind up he can be pretty stubborn," said Cordelia.  
  
Faith begrudgingly nodded and left the room. Cordelia walked around to the other side of the bed, straightening out the comforter and fluffing up the pillow. She sat down on the edge of the bed and noticed her reflection in the compact mirror on her dresser.  
  
"Great. Dark circles," she sighed, rubbing her eyes. "Boy, do I need a good night's sleep."  
  
*****  
  
It had only taken Quentin Travers three glasses of scotch to help him decide what to do. But they had been full glasses. Even so, his hand trembled as he reached for the phone. He quickly pushed a few numbers and then slammed the phone down, angry at himself for making a mistake. Taking a deep breath, he punched in the connection again, this time much more slowly.  
  
"Yes. I need two tickets for the next flight to Los Angeles. Is my nephew's passport in order yet?"  
  
"Good. Make all the necessary arrangements. I don't want any problems with Customs. Have a car around front in half an hour."  
  
Quentin hung up the phone and withdrew a set of keys from his pocket, opening his lower left-hand drawer. He took out a small wooden box, not much larger than a pack of cigarettes. Flipping up the clasp, he glanced at the two wax sealed test tubes, each containing a clear liquid. Snapping the box closed, he slipped it into the breast pocket of his jacket and stared at the bottle of scotch on his desk.  
  
He decided that another glass of the single malt was very much in order.  
  
END OF PART FOUR   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	5. Part 5

Title: Into The Mirror  
  
PART FIVE - The Storm  
  
"Sober up, boys. We've got new orders," smiled Collins, clicking off the television.  
  
"We're going home?," asked Smith.  
  
"Nah. That would be boring. We're going after Faith," announced Collins, rubbing his hands together. He knelt down beside his suitcase and flipped it open.  
  
"What? I thought she was dead!," said Weatherby.  
  
"Oh, she is. Just not in the way you're thinking."  
  
Collins turned and tossed Weatherby a wooden stake. He caught it, eyes opening wide. And then he smiled. Smith closed his eyes and shook his head.  
  
*****  
  
"Angel, maybe this isn't such a good idea. I mean, think about it! Sunnydale? If the Council is after me..."  
  
"Not if, Faith. They are after you and they're already here. And you can bet that more are on their way," said Angel, dropping two suitcases by the door.  
  
"So let's go to, to Cleveland or...anywhere! Anywhere but Sunnydale."  
  
"You can't run forever," said Angel.  
  
"Actually, now that I'm immortal, I'm thinking I can," frowned Faith.  
  
Angel stopped and put his hands on Faith's shoulders.  
  
"Is this about going to Sunnydale or is this about facing Buffy?"  
  
She lowered her face for a moment and then looked up at him but didn't say anything.  
  
"Faith, trust me. We'll figure this out."  
  
"So what's the plan?," asked Faith.  
  
Angel let go of her shoulders.  
  
"I haven't figured that out yet."  
  
Faith rolled her eyes.  
  
"I need to talk to Giles first," said Angel.  
  
The door opened and Wesley entered.  
  
"As far as we can tell, the street's clear. Gunn is still out there, keeping watch," said Wesley.  
  
"Okay, it's time to go," said Angel.  
  
"Angel, are you sure you don't want me to take her? My absence would be less conspicuous," said Wesley.  
  
"No, we've been over this," said Angel, picking up the suitcases.  
  
"Um, aren't you forgetting something?," asked Cordelia.  
  
Angel and Faith turned around to face Cordelia.  
  
"Oh, right. Bye, Cordelia. I'll call as soon as I can," said Angel.  
  
"No, silly. I meant you forgot your lunch," said Cordelia, holding up a small plastic cooler.  
  
"Oh," grinned Angel.  
  
Faith stepped forward and took the container from her.  
  
"Cordelia...thank you. For everything," said Faith.  
  
Cordelia smiled and nodded her head.  
  
"Be careful," she said, causing Faith to smile  
  
*****  
  
Angel looked into his rearview mirror again and glanced at Faith. This time she didn't ignore him.  
  
"We're being followed, aren't we?," sighed Faith.  
  
"What? No. Well...I don't think so. But there has been a police car behind us for a few blocks. I'm sure it's nothing," reassured Angel.  
  
"Great," said Faith, closing her eyes.  
  
"Okay, I'll prove it to you. I'll make a few turns and lose him."  
  
Angel took a right at the next light and then a left two blocks further up. Faith stared at him as he looked into the mirror again. He looked at her and smiled nervously. Faith rolled her eyes and began tapping her right foot on the floor.  
  
"Angel, if they so much as pull you over, that cop is going to recognize me. My photo's been everywhere," said Faith, not even realizing that she was keeping her voice low.  
  
"We haven't done anything wrong," laughed Angel, trying to relax Faith. "There's no reason to..."  
  
The lights on the police car flashed on and the officer gave a quick burst of his siren. Angel looked at Faith as he pulled the car over to the curb but she wouldn't look at him.  
  
"Okay, just stay calm," warned Angel as the car came to a stop.  
  
Faith opened the door and ran, not even taking the time to slam the door shut.  
  
"Faith!"  
  
The officer jumped from his car and drew his gun.  
  
"Police! Freeze!"  
  
Faith was gone. The officer slowly walked up to the side of Angel's car, both hands on his weapon.  
  
"Okay, both hands on the steering wheel! Now!"  
  
Angel did as he was told. The officer advanced up to the driver's door.  
  
"Why did she run?," demanded the cop, more cautious than angry. And he was angry.  
  
"I don't know. She was hitchhiking and I gave her a ride. I never even had time to learn her name," replied Angel calmly.  
  
The officer lowered his gun.  
  
"License and registration, nice and slow."  
  
Angel kept one hand on the wheel and slowly reached for the glove compartment.  
  
"Did I do something wrong, officer?," asked Angel.  
  
"We'll see. I only pulled you over to tell you that your right brake light was out."  
  
"Oh," winced Angel as he handed him the paperwork.  
  
*****   
  
"Willow! Well, hi! It's so nice of you to call. But you know what? It's really not such a good time right now. To talk, that is," said Cordelia, nervously staring at Wesley as she held the phone to her ear.  
  
"Huh? Cordelia, what's wrong?," said Willow.  
  
"Wrong? Nothing! Nothing at all. It's just...well...I'm, I'm cooking dinner for Wesley and it's almost ready to come out of the oven. So I'm going to have to call you back. Soon. Real soon. I promise," winced Cordelia.  
  
"Cordelia, since when do you cook?," asked Willow.  
  
"Um, I...hey, and since when do you date girls? People can change, you know!"  
  
"Cordy, I'm not dating. Tara and I are very serious," sighed Willow.  
  
"And that's great. But, uh, she isn't the jealous type, is she? I mean, I'm a girl and I'm not seeing anyone right now, so I wouldn't want her to get any wrong ideas. By you talking to me, that is. So maybe we shouldn't talk. Not that a girl being with another girl is wrong, by the way...oh, there's the timer! Gotta run. Talk soon. I promise. Bye!," said Cordelia, slamming down the phone and staring at it. She slowly turned her eyes towards Wesley and smiled with only one side of her mouth.  
  
"That was...did anyone ever tell you that you're tough as stone under pressure?," asked Wesley.  
  
"Oh...stuff it!," snapped Cordelia.  
  
"So, what are you making for dinner?," asked Gunn, smiling.  
  
Cordelia glared at him.  
  
"If I make it, you're going to eat it," she warned.  
  
"Right! Pizza it is. In fact, I'm buying," added Gunn.  
  
*****  
  
Willow stared at the phone in her hand for a while before hanging it up.  
  
"That was...quick," said Buffy.  
  
"Yes, and there's three possibilities for why. One, a demon has possessed Cordelia and she can now cook. Two, she's doing drugs. Or three, she thinks someone is listening in on her phone calls and can't talk," said Willow.  
  
"A demon that induces culinary skills? That's a new one on me, but I'll do the research, however unlikely," said Giles.  
  
Buffy and Willow both suddenly looked frightened of him.  
  
"Oh. Of course, their phone is tapped. I was just joking about the demon," smiled Giles.  
  
Buffy and Willow still stared at him, only a little less apprehensively.  
  
"I was!," protested Giles.  
  
*****  
  
Faith, being what she was, knew she was a very sought after commodity. Young, single women were good for business. And, as expected, the man at the door let her in without having to pay the cover charge. She took a seat at the end of the bar, carefully searching the place for any embarrassing mirrors. The bartender walked over and stood in front of her.  
  
"Beer," said Faith.  
  
The bartender looked at her for a moment but decided not to ask if she was twenty-one. He walked away, filled a glass from the tap and set it down in front of her. Faith reached into her pocket to fish out some money.  
  
"I got that, John," said a man a few stools away from them. The bartender nodded and walked away.  
  
Faith turned her head to the stranger. He was maybe just a little older than her, not much taller, with a pale complexion and reddish brown hair. His brown dress shirt and khaki Dockers set him apart from the usual bar crowd. That and the fact that he wasn't smoking a cigarette.  
  
"Thank you," smiled Faith.  
  
"You're welcome," nodded the stranger. He went back to nursing his beer and staring at the bottles along the back of the bar.  
  
Faith studied him for a moment, very puzzled that this guy didn't try to strike up a conversation as she had expected. She looked behind her. The room was dark and not very crowded. The band was just returning from a break and getting ready for another set. Faith took a sip of beer, again looking at the man sitting near her.  
  
"Tough day?," offered Faith.  
  
The man smiled and turned his head towards her.  
  
"Yeah, you could say that. How about you?," he asked.  
  
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," laughed Faith.  
  
"Name's Michael."  
  
"Faith."  
  
Michael took a drink and smiled, shaking his head.  
  
"What?," asked Faith.  
  
"You're going to absolutely cringe, but what's a nice girl like you doing in a place like this?," grinned Michael.  
  
Faith rolled her eyes.  
  
"Told ya," he smiled, spinning on his stool to look at the band.  
  
"Sorry. This is all new to me," said Michael, not looking at her.  
  
Faith watched him over the rim of her glass.  
  
"Believe me, I know what that feels like," said Faith.  
  
He smiled but only briefly, keeping his eyes on the band as they began their first song. Michael picked up his glass and sat down on the stool next to Faith.  
  
"Brown eyes. I like that. Makes you look so...innocent," shrugged Michael.  
  
"I've heard they look yellow in a certain light," said Faith.  
  
"Faith, do..."  
  
"Hey, I gotta be honest. You seem like a nice guy and everything, but I'm just here to do a little drinkin', listen to the band...just didn't want you to get the wrong impression, you know? It's not you. Really," nodded Faith.  
  
"That's cool. I only moved over because I didn't want to shout over the music," said Michael.  
  
"Oh," grinned Faith.  
  
"Really. Faith, I...I'm not looking for anything or anyone. Not right now. No matter how damn good looking she is," smiled Michael. He took another sip of his beer and went back to watching the band.  
  
"New at this, my ass," muttered Faith into her glass.  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"Nothing," replied Faith.  
  
They both listened to the band work their way through the first song.   
  
"Michael, if you're not looking for anyone, or anything, what are you doing here? Don't take this the wrong way, but you seem just a little...uncomfortable."  
  
Michael glanced at Faith and caught the bartender's attention.  
  
"Want another?," he asked.  
  
"Not yet."  
  
"Just me, John."  
  
The bartender nodded and went to get another beer.  
  
"What am I doing here? Wow. Now that's deep," said Michael.  
  
"That's not what I meant, silly," said Faith.  
  
"Ah, but it's not far from the truth. See, my life...well, lately, it just hasn't...I've been going through a lot of changes the past few days. Guess I'm just trying to figure out where I fit in. Or if I even do anymore," sighed Michael.  
  
Faith stared at him, considering both his words and his expression.  
  
"And you probably think I'm better at my pick up lines than you first thought," he laughed.   
  
The bartender set down another glass of beer in front of him and walked away.  
  
"No. No, that's not what I'm thinking at all. What you said, it...ah, never mind," shrugged Faith.   
  
The band began another song, this one much slower than the first. Michael reached for his beer but Faith caught his hand in hers. He looked at her, puzzled, and she nodded towards the dance floor. Michael seemed to consider this for a moment and then he smiled, letting Faith lead him onto the floor.  
  
"Faith, your hand...it's so cold."  
  
"Shh. Let's just dance," whispered Faith.  
  
Michael put one hand around Faith's waist and the other on her shoulder. Faith wrapped both hands around his waist, leaned forward but hesitated, suddenly aware of the warmth of his body. If she could have taken a deep breath she would have. Faith rested her head on his shoulder.  
  
Her body fought him for the first few steps, but then she relaxed and allowed him lead, letting him move her slowly back and forth, pulled along more than following. She felt his arms tighten around her ever so slightly, the touch of someone who was lonely and who simply needed to be held. Faith smiled and swayed to the beat of the music, feeling the pulse of the bass in the floor beneath them.  
  
The music suddenly seemed louder and now Faith took the lead, pressing closer against him as they gently moved, his step matching hers. There was something familiar about the rhythm, even though Faith had never heard this song before. She turned her face slightly, her cheek brushing against his neck...and then Faith froze. It wasn't the band, it wasn't the music at all. She had been dancing to pulse of his heartbeat.  
  
"Faith?"  
  
Faith slowly pulled away from Michael, pushing him away as he tried to hold onto her. She raised her eyes until they met his, her body shivering.  
  
"Faith, what's wrong?"  
  
"I can't...oh God, I'm sorry. Michael, I have to go...now," said Faith.  
  
"You don't feel good? Let me help you. I can..."  
  
"You don't understand! You can't help me!," yelled Faith, breaking away from him and running. "No one can."  
  
"Faith!"  
  
Faith ran past the bouncer at the door and never looked back, turning blindly down one street and then another, finally stumbling into an alley between a liquor store and a boarded up building. She pressed her forehead up against the cold wall, suddenly nauseous. Her right hand curled into a fist but she fought the urge to smash her hand into the wall.  
  
Turning around, Faith leaned her back against the wall and slid down into a sitting position, numbly listening to the sounds of the night with closed eyes; the honking of a distant horn, the dripping of water in a drainpipe further down in the alley, the sound of approaching footsteps...  
  
Faith opened her eyes. A woman was walking towards her, blocking the entrance to the alley. She stopped about ten feet away, her face hidden in shadow. In one hand she held a cross. In the other she held a wooden stake.  
  
"Hello, Faith. Why don't we...talk?"  
  
The woman took another step forward and Faith could see her face now, even in the dark. Kate Lockley smiled and held the cross up just a little higher in front of her.  
  
*****  
  
The door slammed open and suddenly Angel was in Cordelia's apartment.  
  
"Angel! What, forget a toothbrush?," exclaimed Gunn.  
  
"She's not here?," asked Angel, his eyes darting about the room.  
  
"Who? Cordelia? She's taking a shower...but that's not who...Angel, where's Faith?," asked Wesley, slowly rising from his chair.  
  
Angel made a fist and turned to face the wall to his right.  
  
"Angel!," shouted Wesley.  
  
Angel slowly lowered his fist but never unclenched it.  
  
"I don't know where she is," said Angel, not bothering to turn around to face Wesley.  
  
"What? What do you mean you don't know? How do you lose...forget that. How's anyone going to find her in a city this size?," asked Gunn.  
  
*****  
  
Both shot glasses slammed down onto the table and they looked at one another, wincing but once again unable to stop laughing.   
  
"I don't care what anyone says, tequila tastes like shit!," grimaced Kate, her eyes watering.  
  
"Well, that's one advantage I have now. I can't taste anything!," answered Faith.  
  
They both looked at each other and again broke into laughter.  
  
"A few more of those and I won't be able to taste anything either," said Kate.  
  
Faith smiled and leaned back in her chair.  
  
"So Kate, how did you know?"  
  
"Oh, I didn't. Not at first. Especially when my cross almost touched your face and you didn't move! I just thought you were dead," shrugged Kate.  
  
"Well, I am! And can I just say that cross hurt like a bitch!," said Faith, crossing her arms.  
  
"Sorry," frowned Kate. "Anyway, there was a little compact mirror on the dresser by Cordelia's bed, and when I looked at it..."   
  
"No reflection. Cordelia's vanity causes trouble again," laughed Faith.  
  
Now Kate leaned back in her chair, trying not to stare at the girl across the table from her.  
  
"Okay, that's the how. Which leaves why. Kate, you could've talked to me any day that I was in prison. I just don't get it," said Faith, shaking her head.  
  
Kate eyed her bottle of tequila on the table between them but decided against another drink. She leaned forward and kept her voice low, looking at the surface of the table instead of at Faith.  
  
"Are you the Slayer?"  
  
Faith didn't hesitate with her answer.  
  
"I was. Once. What I've become...who the hell knows? I sure don't," said Faith, bitterly.  
  
"But...okay, so you're a vampire...Faith, does it matter? Isn't being the Slayer what you were born for? I just...I'm sorry, I'm not explaining this very well, am I?"  
  
"Kate, there's a lot you don't know about me. I stopped being the Slayer a long time ago. And somewhere out there some poor fourteen or fifteen year old girl is about to have her life turned upside down."  
  
Kate took a deep breath and again leaned back in her chair. She grabbed the bottle and filled her shot glass, then pointed the bottle at Faith.  
  
"What the hell?," agreed Faith with a shrug.  
  
Kate filled her glass and put the bottle down again.  
  
"We all have something we hunger for, Kate. It's painfully obvious what I crave now. But you...I still ain't got you figured out," said Faith, rubbing her shot glass between her fingers.  
  
Kate tilted her head back and drained her glass, keeping her eyes closed until the burning in her throat let up.  
  
"My father was killed by a vampire. So I started reading, asking questions...and the more I learned, the more I hated. Thought I could take 'em on all by my lonesome. Got in over my head, became so caught up in it that I lost my job...and the few friends that I had."  
  
"Go on," encouraged Faith.  
  
"I'm not sure why I sought out the Slayer. Maybe I was just trying to make sense of my father's death. Maybe I was just seeking revenge. I needed help but was too afraid to ask for it. Took me a while to figure out that it might be you. But I could never work up the balls to ask you...maybe I was afraid you wouldn't be her."  
  
"Or maybe you were afraid that I was the Slayer. I wasn't exactly helping anyone...even before jail," added Faith, knocking back her drink.  
  
"No, that wasn't it. I panicked. I thought I might lose you, miss my chance for...Faith...what happened? How did you end up, well...here?," shrugged Kate.  
  
Faith shook her head.  
  
"Hey, I'm not trying to avoid the question, okay? But the killing, the hunting...it gets pretty intense. Wicked intense. You can lose yourself in it. And it's just so...you wouldn't understand. No one can. No one except...except another Slayer," frowned Faith, looking at her hands, slowly making a fist with her right hand.   
  
"Fair enough," said Kate. She saw that Faith wasn't comfortable talking about it so she changed the subject.  
  
"Angel ever tell you he bit me?," asked Kate, grinning.  
  
"No way!"  
  
"Oh yeah," nodded Kate.  
  
"I saw the scar, but Angel? What's that all about?"  
  
"He was protecting me. If I hadn't played dead, this demon he was with would've killed me. Faith...why is Angel protecting you?"  
  
Faith smiled and tapped her fingers on the table.  
  
"Angel and I, we...we have a lot in common, none of it good. He's trying to atone for his sins. Me? He's trying to help me figure out how," frowned Faith.  
  
"So what are you going to do now? I'm going to try to clear your name in the murder of that guard, but you can't stay in LA. Dead or not, if you're seen..."  
  
"I know. Angel was taking me back to Sunnydale. Guess I should call him, let him know I'm alive" smiled Faith.  
  
"Can't you just talk to this Council? Our side needs all the help it can get. If they know you have a soul..."  
  
Faith sadly shook her head.  
  
"You don't get it. They tried to kill me when I was alive. There's no twelve step program for someone like me. What do you think they'll do now? I'm not the Slayer. Even I don't know what I am," said Faith, reaching for the bottle.  
  
A man and a woman walked past them. Her head was on his shoulder and they were laughing. The man put his arm around her waist and steered her towards the door.  
  
"Shit!," said Faith, putting the bottle back down.  
  
"What?," asked Faith, sitting upright.  
  
"That guy. Vampire," sighed Faith.  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
Faith simply stared at Kate.  
  
"Sorry. Um...aren't you going to...well, you know," said Kate, frowning.  
  
"I already told you, I'm not the Slayer," replied Faith as she turned to watch them leave.  
  
"But you can help her! She needs you!"  
  
"I...you know, I don't even have a stake," protested Faith.  
  
Kate reached into her pocketbook and tossed a stake onto the table. Faith just stared at it.  
  
"Faith! He's going to kill that girl!"  
  
"Damn it!," yelled Faith, grabbing the stake as she stood up. Kate whisked the bottle of tequila off the table and slid it into her pocketbook, drawing a questioning look from Faith.  
  
"Hey, I paid for this!"  
  
"Stay behind me, out of the way," warned Faith.  
  
Faith stood on the sidewalk, looking up and down the empty street.  
  
"They couldn't have gotten far," said Kate.  
  
"Quiet!"  
  
Faith tilted her head, listened and smiled. Walking down to the corner, she pulled on the handle of a car door only to find it locked. She took a step back and smashed the window with her foot, immediately reaching in a pulling the vampire out by the back of his shirt. A glance revealed the woman lying unconscious on the front seat, blood on her neck.  
  
Faith dropped the vamp and managed to land a kick to his ribs as he scrambled away. He got to his knees and growled.  
  
"You know, guys are such pigs. What you think you can get away with on the first date just disgusts me," grinned Faith.  
  
"What do you want? Too lazy to hunt for yourself?," demanded the vampire.  
  
"What I want," said Faith pulling the stake from her back pocket, "is to be left alone. But this shouldn't take long."  
  
Faith tossed the stake back and forth from one hand to the other, the vampire's eyes intently following the piece of wood.  
  
"But...you're one of us!," yelled the vamp.  
  
Faith caught the stake and held in firmly in her right hand.  
  
"No! I'm! Not!," yelled Faith.  
  
She spun and lashed out at his head with her foot but he easily ducked under it, lunging to his feet and driving his elbow into the side of her face. Off balance, Faith still managed to block his next two punches. She countered with a jab to his side but the punch seemed to have little effect on him. He grabbed her by the shoulders, slipped a foot behind her ankle and drove his forehead into hers. Faith fell onto her back hard, losing her grip on the stake.  
  
"Hey, dead boy!," yelled Kate.  
  
He turned around, snarling. And Kate thrust a cross into his face. He stumbled backwards and tripped over Faith, landing on top of her. An instant later he exploded into ash.  
  
Faith tossed the stake aside and sat up, brushing herself off. Kate put the cross into her back pocket and held out a hand to her.  
  
"Um, a little rusty there, kid?," smiled Kate, pulling Faith to her feet.  
  
"Yeah. Not my best work, that," said Faith, shaking her head. "Still, that felt...good. Really...good," added Faith with a smile.  
  
"The girl!"  
  
"She's fine. Probably fainted. He only got in a lick or two. Let her sleep. Less questions that way," said Faith, brushing the rest of the ash from her clothes.  
  
"Kate, you have a cell phone?"  
  
"Yeah. Why?"  
  
"Well, I don't think you're in any condition to drive. Call Angel. Oh, and don't mention my name. Just tell him to come get you and...something that belongs to him. It's time for me to go home," said Faith, looking back down at the sidewalk where the vampire had died.   
  
"Home? You mean Cordelia Chase's apartment?"  
  
"No. I mean Sunnydale," replied Faith, not taking her eyes from the sidewalk. She flexed her hands into fists and smiled.  
  
"Yeah, that felt good," whispered Faith to herself.  
  
*****  
  
There was a knock on the door and Smith jumped to his feet. He opened the door as far as the chain would allow and looked out into the hall.  
  
"Mr. Travers!"  
  
Smith quickly unlatched the chain and opened the door.  
  
"Good morning, sir. Please, come in. This is a surprise."  
  
"Yes, I suppose it would be. Where are the others and what is the situation?," asked Travers, entering the room. A young boy, about fifteen or sixteen years old, followed him in. His freckled face made him seem even younger.  
  
"Weatherby was watching the Chase apartment, Collins was watching Angel's office and is there now with him. Sometime before sunrise Angel and Wesley left the apartment and picked up Faith and another woman from a location downtown. They're all back at his office now. We expect them to leave Los Angeles, but not, of course, until after sunset tonight," said Smith, eyeing the boy.  
  
"Very good, Smith. Oh, I'd like for you to meet my nephew, Patrick."  
  
"Hello," said Smith, extending his right hand. The boy nodded and shook his hand with a firm grip. His short brown hair was tucked up under a Los Angeles Dodgers baseball cap.  
  
"And they left you behind for the...important work of guarding the hotel room?," asked Travers.   
  
"Um, yes," shrugged Smith, somewhat embarrassed.   
  
"That's good. Because I wanted to talk to you. Alone. Sit down, Smith," said Travers.  
  
Smith hesitated, glanced at the boy with a confused look and found a seat.  
  
"Sir, I don't understand why Angel would protect a vampire. From what we know about him..."  
  
"All in good time, Smith. First, we need to talk. I need to know if I can trust you," said Travers, carefully watching Smith's face.  
  
Smith wrinkled his eyebrows, once again glancing at the boy.  
  
END OF PART FIVE  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	6. Part 6

Title: Into The Mirror  
  
PART SIX - All My Friends  
  
Buffy forced herself up, her vision blurred by the punch she had just taken. Faith stood on the ledge high above the street, staring at the blood on her hand, looking at her shirt as the blood soaked through it. Buffy could actually feel the stillness of the night between them, the emptiness of the moment as she realized what she had done. Her damp shirt clung to her back, chilling her. Faith slowly raised her eyes, meeting her own. And then Faith smiled.  
  
"You did it, B. You killed me."  
  
Buffy's eyes snapped open and she knew instantly where she was. She pulled the covers up to her neck and stared at the ceiling. It wasn't the first time she had the dream. And it was always the same, ending with Faith's laughter ringing in her ears. But it had been a long time since she had the dream. A very long time. Buffy closed her eyes and took slow, deep breaths, calming herself, slowing down her heartbeat.   
  
She rolled over and opened one eye, glancing at the alarm clock. Seeing how late she had slept caused both eyes to spring open...until she realized that there really was no rush to get up today. Even though she had to do the laundry today, clean the house, make Dawn breakfast...with a sigh she kicked off the covers and stumbled into the bathroom.  
  
She splashed water on her face to rinse off the soap, grabbed a towel and hid her face in it. Glancing up at the mirror, Buffy froze, her eyes opening wide. Staring back at her was Faith! She spun around and dropped the towel, hands automatically raised in a defensive posture. The room was empty.   
  
Twisting her neck, Buffy looked back into the mirror, seeing only her reflection. She wondered if she had seen a ghost, but only for a moment. Her thoughts now drifted back to when she last saw Faith's reflection staring back at her...when Faith had taken possession of her body, had almost...  
  
Buffy closed her eyes and clenched her teeth, feeling the bitter anger rise within her again. Any compassion she had felt for Faith melted away, replaced now with simple contempt. And Buffy was angry with herself as well for allowing any sympathy for the other Slayer's death to cloud her judgement. How could she have felt sorry for her? All she had to do was remember what Faith had done to Willow, to Angel...what she had put her mother through. All to get back at Buffy.  
  
Buffy opened her eyes and glanced back into the mirror again, the reflection of herself a mask seething with resentment. She had been such a fool. No, there wouldn't be any mourning now for what had been lost.  
  
*****  
  
They watched as Wesley taped a note to the front door and waited until he had turned the corner, disappearing from view. Angel's car was still parked out in front. Collins walked up to the door and read the note, a quick scrawl that simply stated 'back in fifteen minutes'. He motioned for Weatherby to join him.  
  
Weatherby stood behind Collins, blocking the view of anyone passing by, allowing Collins to pick the lock unseen. The street, luckily, was very quiet. A moment later both men were inside.  
  
They didn't waste time on the ground floor but quickly made their way up the stairs to the second floor. Each now held a cross in one hand. Weatherby also had a vial of holy water, Collins carried a stake. Only two rooms had lights on last night and they silently moved down the hall towards the first room. The door was shut but a gentle twist of the knob revealed that it wasn't locked. Collins nodded at his companion and slowly pushed the door open.  
  
The curtains were drawn but the room was illuminated well enough with the late morning light. Someone was sleeping in the bed, the covers drawn up over their head. Collins slipped the stake into his back pocket and crept up beside the bed, cross extended out in front of him. He reached for the covers, his hand shaking badly. Taking a deep breath, he ripped them away and reached for the stake.  
  
"Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing!?," yelled Kate.  
  
Collins jumped back, more than startled, and bumped into Weatherby who almost dropped the bottle of holy water.   
  
"Fool! We've been had," snapped Collins as he turned and stomped from the room.  
  
"If you don't mind I'll just get on," stammered Weatherby, red faced.  
  
"Come along, you sodding pillock!," yelled Collins.  
  
Weatherby smiled uncomfortably at Kate and quickly followed him.  
  
Kate put her hands behind her head and smiled.   
  
*****  
  
Sitting in Kate's car, Faith watched as Angel talked to the motel clerk. He handed him the room key, nodded and left the office. The sun had set only twenty minutes ago. He sat down behind the wheel and started the engine.  
  
"Anyone ever tell you that you snore?," asked Angel with a straight face.  
  
"Only my cellmate," replied Faith, suppressing a smile.  
  
They drove for some time in silence.  
  
"And by the way, don't expect me to buy you a Father's Day card this year," said Faith, looking out the window.  
  
"That's okay. I don't think Hallmark has a card for...that," said Angel, keeping his eyes on the road.  
  
"And don't be braggin' to your friends that you spent the night with me in some seedy motel. Girl's got a reputation to think of, ya know."  
  
"Ah, they wouldn't believe me anyway," replied Angel.  
  
Angel smiled and turned on the radio.  
  
*****  
  
There was a knock at the door. Buffy motioned to Giles not to get up and she walked past him, pulling the door open.  
  
"Angel!"  
  
"Buffy! I didn't...I was expecting Giles."  
  
"What's wrong? Why are...oh my God! Faith! We thought you were dead!," smiled Buffy excitedly.  
  
Faith was standing about thirty feet behind Angel. For the briefest moment she smiled, seeing Buffy's expression. And then she looked sadly down at her feet.  
  
"Wait. The new Slayer...how did..."  
  
Buffy's expression changed from one of confusion to one of fear. Giles and Dawn appeared and stood in the doorway behind her.  
  
"It's a long story," said Angel.  
  
"I died. He bit me. Here I am," shrugged Faith.  
  
"Okay, maybe not that long," frowned Angel.  
  
"Oh, the soul comes with the package. Part of his curse," pointed Faith.  
  
Buffy's mouth dropped open and she stared accusingly at Angel. Giles was also speechless.  
  
"I didn't kill her," offered Angel.  
  
"Faith!," screamed Dawn, pushing past Buffy.  
  
"Dawn, no!," yelled Buffy.  
  
"Dawnie!," shouted Faith, all smiles.  
  
Dawn ran into her arms and they hugged. Faith closed her eyes for a moment, still smiling.  
  
"Look at you, girl! Wow! Tell me you don't have a boyfriend yet," laughed Faith.   
  
Dawn slowly pulled back and looked up at her, her lower lip trembling.  
  
"Faith, I'm so sorry...I can't believe..."  
  
Tears started to well up in Dawn's eyes. Faith reached out and hugged her.  
  
"Thank you, Dawn. It's nice to finally hear someone say that. And coming from you, it's even more special."  
  
Dawn stepped back, holding her hands, and smiled.  
  
"Dawn! Get over here," said Buffy loudly but not quite shouting.  
  
Dawn rolled her eyes and Faith laughed. Walking back to her sister, Dawn glared at Buffy.  
  
"I don't care if the memories are real or not, she never once tried to hurt me. And she could have, a hundred times over," snapped Dawn, stepping back inside.  
  
Buffy began to say something but held back, looking helplessly at Giles.  
  
"Giles, we have a problem," said Angel.  
  
"And why am I not surprised at hearing that?," said Buffy, glaring at Faith.  
  
"We need to talk. And we need a place to stay," said Angel.  
  
"Of course. Um, sorry, it's just...a lot to take in, so suddenly," said Giles.  
  
Dawn elbowed him gently in the ribs.  
  
"Giles, I believe you have to invite Faith in."  
  
"Oh. Right," winced Giles.  
  
"No. That's okay," said Faith. "We shouldn't be here anyway. I doubt if we were followed, but..."  
  
"Followed?," repeated Buffy, opening her eyes just a little wider.  
  
"Like I said, we need to talk. Is that mansion on Crawford Street still vacant?," asked Angel.  
  
"Um, yes. As far as we know," said Giles. Buffy nodded in agreement.  
  
"Then let's go there," said Angel.  
  
"Fine. I'll call Willow. She can come over and stay with Dawn," said Buffy.  
  
"Buffy, I don't need a babysitter! I want to come with you!"  
  
"No."  
  
"So what, we all just stand around? It will take Willow almost half an hour to get here and Angel seems to be in a hurry. You want to leave me alone or can you for once treat me like I'm not eight years old and let me come along?," said Dawn, surprisingly calm.  
  
Buffy looked at Giles and he reluctantly nodded his approval.  
  
"Okay, you can come. But go put a cross on," said Buffy.  
  
"Buffy!"  
  
"Your sister's right, Dawn. Go put a cross on," said Faith.  
  
Buffy and Dawn both turned and stared at Faith.  
  
"Please? I want you to," said Faith, frowning.  
  
Dawn seemed confused but slowly nodded and turned to go back inside, hesitating by Giles' side.  
  
"You could have invited her in," growled Dawn, walking inside before Giles could react.  
  
Giles looked at Buffy and she stepped closer to him, keeping her voice to a whisper.  
  
"Maybe you should put a cross on too."  
  
"Buffy, I don't think..."  
  
Giles stopped his protest, seeing the angry look Buffy flashed him.  
  
"She's right, Giles. Do it," said Faith.  
  
Buffy's eyes went wide and she turned to face Faith.  
  
"New improved hearing, B," smiled Faith, holding a hand up to her ear. "You should have known that."  
  
Buffy turned back to face Giles, biting her lower lip. He smiled uncomfortably and went inside.  
  
"Angel, I know the way. Why don't I meet you guys there? You need some time alone. To discuss...stuff," said Faith.  
  
Angel nodded at her.  
  
"And no smoochies! We've got enough trouble as it is," teased Faith.  
  
Buffy glared at her to show that Faith was coming close to crossing a line. Faith smiled and waved goodbye. Buffy looked up at Angel and leaned back against the side of the door, letting out a long breath.  
  
"How could you?," asked Buffy, shaking her head.  
  
Angel put his hands into the pockets of his duster and didn't look at her.  
  
*****  
  
"Xander, can't we just hurry and get this over with?," asked Anya.  
  
"Since when are you in a hurry? I thought you liked this."  
  
"Usually, I do. But I wish you'd at least consider Willow joining us next time. Think about it, okay?"  
  
"Alright, I'll talk to her about it. It's just, well...she's seemed tired lately," said Xander.  
  
"So?"  
  
"Anya, just relax. I think we're alone here, so..."  
  
"Xander, it's a cemetery! I hope we're alone! Hey, wait a minute...we're alone. You, uh, feel like..."  
  
"No time. Told Will we'd make a quick sweep before we picked her up. Said something about Buffy having a surprise for us," said Xander.  
  
"No time. Don't hide behind that excuse, quick draw..."  
  
Xander had stopped walking and Anya bumped into him. He was staring down at the ground.  
  
"Looks like he struck again," sighed Xander.  
  
On the ground a young girl was lying on her back, both of her arms crossed over her chest. She was very pale. Two puncture wounds were visible on her throat.  
  
"This is what, number four?," asked Anya.  
  
"Yeah. Let's go. Let's just go," said Xander.  
  
*****  
  
Buffy and Dawn stood in front of the mansion. Dawn looked behind them but Angel and Giles weren't here yet. They had gone around the block to hide the car.   
  
"You going to stand here all night or are we going in?," sighed Dawn.  
  
"Oh. Right. Sorry, it's just...this place holds so many memories. Most of them the heavy tug-at-the-old-heartstrings variety. Wow, I haven't been here since, since Graduation night," said Buffy, shaking her head.  
  
"Pfft!"  
  
"Excuse me?," questioned Buffy.  
  
"Who you kidding? You moped around here almost that entire summer. You even came here the night before you went away to college," said Dawn, rolling her eyes.  
  
"What...you followed me?," asked Buffy.  
  
"Um, well...sometimes. We were worried about you, okay? And everyone knew, by the way," said Dawn with a sideways glance.  
  
"They did?," grimaced Buffy.  
  
"Well, duh! We just didn't want to bring the subject up."  
  
Buffy smiled and shook her head.  
  
"Come on, let's get this over with," laughed Buffy.  
  
They walked in through the patio. Buffy stopped smiling as they walked past the now boarded up but unlocked doors. She had thrown Faith through these very doors and she tried not to think of that brutal fight. Even so, her hand moved up and brushed her cheek, the touch an echo of where Faith had landed an extremely vicious punch.  
  
Faith had lit a few candles so that the main room was now very well lit.  
  
"Sorry I didn't have time to tidy things up. I'll have to have a talk with the maid. It's so hard to get good help these days," said Faith, shaking her head.  
  
"Dawn, could you wait outside? Faith and I need to talk. Alone," said Buffy, not taking her eyes off of Faith.  
  
Dawn slid her backpack off her shoulder and dug out a flashlight.  
  
"Might be safer if I stayed inside. I'll go do some 'splorin'," said Dawn, smiling at Faith and leaving before Buffy could object.  
  
"So...where do we begin?," asked Buffy, pacing back and forth. "How about...what the hell are you doing here?"  
  
"Not my choice, B. I'm only along for the ride," answered Faith.  
  
Buffy shook her head and stopped pacing.  
  
"I want you to leave. You're not welcome here," announced Buffy.  
  
"Talk to Angel. It's his decision and like it or not, we're together now. Where he goes, I go," replied Faith.  
  
"You're...together?," asked Buffy, wide eyed.  
  
"Not like that. It's just...he needs to teach me a few things. I'm kinda new at this, ya know?," shrugged Faith.  
  
"Yeah. And it's getting old, real fast," snapped Buffy.  
  
Faith looked away for a moment but then faced Buffy and took a step towards her.  
  
"Answer me this, B. You angry at seeing me...or at seeing Angel?"  
  
"If he's with you now than the answer is both. It was his choice to leave and he's not welcome here either," glared Buffy.  
  
"His choice? Is that what you believe?," laughed Faith.  
  
"What?"  
  
"C'mon, B. Give the guy a break! The last thing he wanted to do was leave Sunnydale. And you. Your mom practically ran him out of town," said Faith.  
  
"Faith...leave my mom out of this," said Buffy weakly.  
  
"She's the one who convinced him to leave! That you two had no future together," said Faith, taking another step towards her.  
  
"Angel...he told you this?," swallowed Buffy, looking down.  
  
"Yeah. He was...I think he was trying to explain to me why you weren't together after you tried to kill me," smiled Faith.  
  
Buffy looked up, exploring Faith's face for any hint of deception. Faith stopped smiling.  
  
"You didn't know, did you?," asked Faith.  
  
"That's not important now," said Buffy, turning away.  
  
"No. It isn't. What's important is...B, why didn't you come to me? I was only in LA."  
  
"The distance between us was greater than that," answered Buffy, the anger again rising in her voice.  
  
"You couldn't at least have called? To give me a chance to explain."  
  
Buffy whirled around and walked up to her, their faces inches apart.  
  
"Explain? Explain what? You can't defend what you did to me! What you did to my friends...my mom!"  
  
"No. I can't. I can never make it up to you. Even if I knew how. B, I'm..."  
  
"Don't say it!," warned Buffy. "Don't you dare apologize!"  
  
"So tell me what to do! How can I make things right?," winced Faith.  
  
"You can't! So don't bother even trying," hissed Buffy.  
  
Faith's hand clenched into a fist.  
  
"What? It's not good enough for you that I'm dead!? Are you sorry I don't have a grave you can piss on? What do you want from me!?," screamed Faith.  
  
The stake came at her in a blur. Even so, Faith made no move to block it. Only Buffy's reflexes stopped it from piercing her heart. Faith lowered her eyes but didn't move her head, staring at the piece of wood that had barely punctured her skin but still drew a drop of blood. She swallowed, watching the red splotch spread across her white blouse in a small expanding circle.   
  
Faith stood motionless but slowly raised her eyes until they meet Buffy's. The living Slayer's eyes were cold, her hard expression not concealing the hatred that dared Faith to move, to give her any excuse to plunge the stake in deeper.  
  
And then Dawn screamed.   
  
Even before Buffy's eyes grew wide in recognition of Dawn's voice Faith snatched the stake from her grasp and bounded for the stairs to the second floor. Instantly Buffy ran after her.  
  
Faith stood in the doorway of the first room at the top of the stairs. The vampire was not ten feet from her, his hands gripping both sides of Dawn's face. Dawn's flashlight was on the floor by her feet, eerily illuminating the room. She whimpered and stared in terror at Faith.  
  
"Another step and I snap her neck," growled the vampire.  
  
Buffy almost bumped into Faith's back.  
  
"Dawn!," yelled Buffy.  
  
"The Slayer. Oh, I'm going to enjoy this kill," laughed the vampire.  
  
Faith leaned forward, ready to pounce, held back only by Buffy's hand on her shoulder.  
  
"You stupid bastard! You can mess with anyone in this God damned town, but you don't ever touch her!," yelled Faith.  
  
The vampire grinned even more. Dawn tried to bite his finger and he glanced down at her, amused by her effort. He never saw Faith throw the stake until it plunged into his right eye with a squishing thwack.  
  
Screaming in pain, he brought his hands up to his face to rip the stake free. Dawn fell to her knees and scrambled away, catching a glimpse of vampire face as Faith dove over her, tackling the vampire and driving him onto his back. Buffy helped Dawn to her feet and they hugged, both looking back as Faith's fist smashed into the vampire's cheek.  
  
Ignoring his pain, the vampire reached up and grabbed Faith's throat. She turned her head and bit into his forearm, snapping bone. Shaking her head with a growl, she tore a chunk of bloody flesh free and went back to pounding his face with her fist. Buffy forced Dawn's face against her chest.  
  
"Dawn, don't look."  
  
The wet sound of muscle being ripped and bone cracking repeated itself over and over. Blood splattered onto the wall behind them. Dawn covered her ears with her hands, her body jumping with every punch.  
  
"Worthless bastard! You! Don't! Touch! Her!," screamed Faith, pounding his face with each word.  
  
"Buffy, she doesn't have a stake," whimpered Dawn.  
  
"She doesn't need one," whispered Buffy.  
  
Faith stood over the motionless body and kicked him in the ribs two, three, four times, her shoe becoming red with blood. She fell on him, gripping his head fiercely in her hands.  
  
"You understand yet!?," screamed Faith, whipping his head to one side. His neck snapped loudly and even Buffy winced.  
  
Faith stood and kicked at the base of his neck, tearing the flesh. Another kick and the head was separated from the body. The vampire exploded into ash. The room was quiet.  
  
Dawn eased herself from Buffy's hug and turned around. Faith was bent over with her back to them, hands on her knees.  
  
"Faith. Are you okay?," asked Dawn.  
  
She took a step towards her but Faith put up a hand, motioning her to stop.  
  
"Just...give me a moment," said Faith.  
  
Dawn glanced at Buffy but her sister was staring at Faith. Faith slowly straightened up and turned around. Her face was human once again.  
  
"Dawnie, are you alright?," asked Faith, sincerely concerned.  
  
Dawn nodded but didn't speak, instead staring at Faith's face.  
  
"I'm sorry you had to see me that way," winced Faith.  
  
Dawn continued to stare and Faith looked at Buffy, confused. Buffy ran her hand across her mouth and pointed at Faith. Faith turned her head and wiped her shirtsleeve over her mouth, looking down at the blood on the fabric. She closed her eyes and shook her head.  
  
"I'm sorry," said Faith, her voice cracking.  
  
Dawn walked over to Faith and put her arm on her shoulder.  
  
"Faith, it's okay. It doesn't bother me."  
  
"But it bothers me," sniffed Faith.  
  
"Hey," said Dawn firmly.  
  
Faith turned her head and looked at Dawn, wiping her eyes.  
  
"Thank you," smiled Dawn.  
  
Faith smiled and kissed the top of Dawn's head.  
  
"You sure you're alright?," asked Faith.  
  
"Yeah," nodded Dawn.  
  
Faith looked up at Buffy and stopped smiling. Buffy's mouth was slightly open and she was staring at Faith.  
  
"You...you enjoyed that," said Buffy as if she didn't believe it herself.  
  
"Buffy!," shouted Dawn.  
  
Faith walked over to Buffy and stood by her side, shoulder to shoulder, her face almost able to hide how deeply those words cut. Her eyes challenged Buffy to return her stare.  
  
"That's right, I did. I'm not human, remember? I'm not even real."  
  
Buffy looked away first and ran her tongue over her lips.  
  
"Take Dawn downstairs. I'll search the rest of the mansion to see if there's any other unwelcome visitors. Besides me, that is," added Faith.  
  
Faith walked away before Buffy could respond in any way. She looked over at her sister. Dawn had her hands on her hips and was glaring at her. Buffy raised her hand out to Dawn but was ignored.  
  
"She just saved my life and that's all you can say to her? Talk about driving a stake into her heart!," declared Dawn, shaking her head.  
  
Buffy lowered her hand and Dawn stormed past her.  
  
"Dawn, I..."  
  
"Oh, shove it!"  
  
Buffy took a deep breath and followed her sister downstairs. She heard Anya's voice before she saw her.  
  
"So, getting to first base is like stealing a kiss. But in baseball you said you can't steal first base. Xander, I don't get it!," whined Anya.  
  
"Buffy! So glad to see you," smiled Xander, ignoring Anya. "Sorry we're late. I did a quick patrol of the cemetery before picking up Willow and Tara."  
  
"And?," asked Buffy.  
  
Xander's face suddenly became serious.  
  
"We, uh, found number four. Fits the profile...young girl, arms folded over her chest," shrugged Xander, glancing at Giles.  
  
"Damn!," sighed Buffy.  
  
"Buffy, you mentioned something about a surprise. Would that be Angel?," asked Willow.  
  
"Oh my God! Xander, you said she was dead!," shouted Anya.  
  
"She did...I was...I mean, I did, she was, or is...it must be a ghost!," said Xander, grabbing Anya's arm and pulling her behind him.  
  
"No, that's no ghost," said Tara.  
  
Faith walked down the last few steps and put her hands into her pocket.  
  
"No, but I am dead," said Faith.  
  
"Surprise," frowned Buffy, not looking back at Faith.  
  
All eyes went from Faith to Buffy and then back to Faith.  
  
"You mean...," began Xander.  
  
"Yep. It's what you think. Isn't that right...dad?," asked Faith, now looking at Angel.  
  
Everyone's eyes were now on Angel. Everyone...except for Willow. She stared at Faith, not even trying to conceal her contempt. Not one to be intimidated, Faith matched her glare. And then, just briefly, it seemed that the whites of Willow's eyes were replaced by black, the color of cold. Faith blinked and Willow's eyes were once again normal.  
  
Not sure if what she had seen was even real, Faith looked away. What bothered her even more than what she might have seen was Willow's smile.  
  
*****  
  
"Well, that about brings everyone up to speed," finished Giles. "Angel, would you like to add anything else?"  
  
Angel thought for a moment, looking around the room. The gang was sitting either on chairs or cross legged on the floor. Faith stood slightly apart from the group.  
  
"Just one thing. I called Cordelia on the way here from a payphone. As we expected, the Council made an attempt on Faith's life. Kate pretended to be sleeping in a bed at our office. They thought she was Faith," said Angel.  
  
"She didn't get hurt, did she?," asked Faith.  
  
"No," replied Angel.  
  
Faith nodded her head in relief.  
  
"I still feel that we must try to talk with them. Faith can't just keep running. They have the resources to track her down," reminded Giles. He glanced at Buffy but she seemed distracted, not even paying attention.  
  
"And Giles, they would listen why? Because they're sorry they tried to kill me when I was alive?," asked Faith.  
  
"Um, well, it's a start, I suppose," replied Giles.  
  
"Xander, what were you saying when you came in about another victim? Local vamp giving you a hard time?," asked Faith.  
  
"Yeah. Buffy hasn't been able to hunt him down yet," replied Xander.  
  
"I will," said Buffy absently.  
  
"Buffy's only had a glimpse of this vampire. Very bold, he knows he's being hunted but he hasn't relocated. All of his kills have been young girls, found lying on their back with their arms folded over their chests. And they all have been found in the same cemetery, although we're sure he hunts in other areas of town," explained Giles.  
  
"He drags them back there? Why?," asked Faith.  
  
"It's a game," said Angel. "He's...having fun."  
  
"Yeah. And Buffy can't get near him...because he knows your scent," said Faith, looking at Buffy. She looked up but showed little interest in looking back.  
  
"Why are you interested in this vamp, Faith?," asked Xander.  
  
"Maybe the Council isn't interested in talk. Maybe I have to show them I still want to work for them," said Faith.  
  
"No way. You're too dangerous," commented Buffy. "Besides, this is my town and..."  
  
"Dangerous? What the hell are you talking about?," demanded Faith. "Saving Dawn's life a few minutes ago meant nothing to you?"  
  
Giles and Angel exchanged confused looks, then looked at Dawn.  
  
"There was a vampire upstairs," explained Dawn. "Faith..."  
  
"Yes. Dangerous. Someone with nothing left to lose is very dangerous," answered Buffy.  
  
"If nothing else, I've got my soul. And I'm not about to lose that," scoffed Faith.  
  
"Yes, and chaste is the first word that comes to mind when we think of you!," laughed Xander.  
  
"What?," snapped Faith.  
  
"You trying to tell me that the same rules that apply to Angel don't apply to you? Hello! I believe you're under the same curse as him, so when it comes to sex, well, let's just say I wouldn't be telling any nun jokes anytime soon," said Xander.  
  
Faith knotted her eyebrows and looked down at the floor.  
  
"None too soon. That's a good one, Xander," smiled Anya. "I like the double meaning."  
  
"Hadn't thought about that one, did you?," grinned Buffy.  
  
Faith glanced at Angel, obviously flustered.   
  
"Well, what we're talking about is one true moment of happiness. A casual roll in the hay shouldn't matter," stated Angel, quickly silencing the room.  
  
"And you know that how?," asked Buffy, her face a little pale.  
  
Angel opened his mouth but no words came out.  
  
"Still, better safe than sorry," said Giles, coming to Angel's rescue.  
  
"Giles, which cemetery?," asked Faith.  
  
"Um, Restfield. Faith, I don't think it's wise..."  
  
"Giles, I need some fresh air."  
  
Faith saw the confused look Xander shot her and she winced.  
  
"Oh, um, I mean I have to do something! This vamp, he doesn't know me and even if he saw me coming all he'll be thinking is that I'm some long lost cousin, okay?"  
  
"Faith..."  
  
"Angel, I know my curfew. Be home half an hour before sunrise or I'm grounded," interrupted Faith.  
  
"No, I was only going to ask if you had a stake," said Angel.  
  
"Oh. Actually, no. I don't," pouted Faith.  
  
Xander reached into his jacket and handed her one.  
  
"Thanks," said Faith.  
  
"Good luck," replied Xander, not letting go of the stake when Faith reached for it to show her he meant it. Faith understood and nodded appreciatively.  
  
Faith turned and was three steps towards the door before Buffy called out to her.  
  
"Faith."  
  
Faith stopped, hesitated but then turned around.  
  
"One more thing. You were talking about my mom before. You should know that she's dead," said Buffy, watching Faith for her reaction.  
  
Faith swayed as if she had been hit.  
  
"Wh-what?," said Faith weakly.  
  
No one said anything. No one looked at either Faith or Buffy, not even Dawn.  
  
"Oh my God, B...I'm so sorry. I, I didn't know."  
  
Buffy looked away from her.  
  
"Thanks, Angel," said Faith, venom in her voice.  
  
Angel nodded and closed his eyes.  
  
"It...it wasn't a vamp, was it?," asked Faith softly.  
  
"No. She died of a brain aneurysm," said Giles, not taking his eyes off of Buffy. Buffy winced but didn't say anything or look at him.  
  
"I'm sorry. I...I..."  
  
Dawn looked at Faith and it was Faith's turn to look away. But Dawn still saw that Faith was crying.  
  
Faith left. The room was very quiet. Only Tara noticed how upset Willow was. She reached for her hand but Willow stood up and walked over to the fireplace to be alone.  
  
END OF PART SIX   
  
  
  



	7. Part 7

Title: Into The Mirror  
  
PART SEVEN - Choices  
  
"Excuse me, sir, but...there's something I don't understand," said Pat, not lowering the night-vision binoculars.  
  
"And what would that be?," asked Travers, not lowering his binoculars either.  
  
"If I didn't know that Faith was a vampire, I'd say she was on patrol. But...that doesn't makes sense, does it?," asked Pat, lowering the glasses and looking up at Travers.  
  
Quentin Travers watched Faith for another breath or two, then lowered his glasses. He spoke without looking at Pat.  
  
"No. It doesn't. But it also doesn't make sense that Angel would protect her, either."  
  
He raised his glasses again, following Faith around the cemetery.  
  
"Shouldn't we tell Collins that we found her?," asked Pat.  
  
"No."  
  
"But, sir, the Council's orders are very specific on this matter. They want..."  
  
Travers silenced Pat with a glare.  
  
"Yes, sir," said Pat humbly.  
  
Faith moved silently among the tombstones, her ears straining to catch the faintest sound...a footfall, a branch moving in the breezeless night, anything out of place. And that thought amused her. This was one place where she was not out of place, both when she was alive...and now.  
  
She caught a familiar scent and, even though she immediately recognized it, she shifted her weight from one foot to the other and headed in that direction. It didn't take long to find it.  
  
The grave was new. There wasn't even a headstone yet. The overturned soil was rich to her senses, reaching even more than just her sense of smell. Faith knelt down and picked up a single yellow rose that had fallen away from the pile of flowers. She slowly raised it to her face, letting it brush against her cheek. Shaking her head, she gently placed the rose back with the other flowers where it belonged.  
  
Vampire or not, Faith still possessed her Slayer instincts. She knew he was here without even having to see him. Slowly standing up, she turned to face him. There, in the shadow of a mausoleum not fifty yards away, stood the vampire. He stared at her, expressionless but curious. Faith took a step towards him and he turned around, walking away with his back to her.  
  
Faith walked faster but didn't run. The vampire went behind the mausoleum and she lost sight of him. She reached into her back pocket and withdrew the stake, holding it firmly in her hand. Confident, she still didn't run. She tried not to smile.  
  
Keeping the crypt far enough away so that he couldn't jump out at her, Faith turned the corner. But he wasn't there. Glancing up at the roof, she ran to the other side but the graveyard was empty. More than that, it was silent, the night still. She slowly turned in a circle, even searching the grass for a footprint or a clue to where he had gone. Faith was alone.  
  
Her shoulders drooping, Faith slipped the stake back into her pocket.  
  
"Is she leaving?"  
  
"Yes, I think she is."  
  
"Should we follow her?"  
  
"No. Not with them here."  
  
"I don't get it. Travers should've contacted us as soon as he saw her," said Weatherby, lowering his binoculars.  
  
"I know. But we were warned this might happen," replied Collins. "Time to step things up a notch or two, wouldn't you say?"  
  
Weatherby smiled.  
  
"Think Travers even has a clue?," asked Weatherby.  
  
"Don't underestimate that man, Weatherby. He didn't get to where he is without a reason, and more than one at that, I might add. We'd better get back to the motel. I don't want Travers to even suspect that we were here."  
  
"Motel. Why can't these Yanks have a nice Inn to stay at? Be nice to 'ave a bit of tea and scones in the morning, it would."  
  
"Shut up, Weatherby."  
  
*****  
  
Faith walked into the mansion. Angel had made a fire to take the chill out of the air. He added another piece of wood and stood, one finger over his mouth. He nodded towards the couch and Faith saw that Dawn was asleep there.  
  
"Any luck?," asked Angel, keeping his voice low. Faith shook her head.  
  
"Got a glimpse of him but I lost him," shrugged Faith. "Everyone else leave?"  
  
"Yeah. She fell asleep and I told Buffy I'd look after her."  
  
"You're beat, Angel. Go upstairs and get some sleep. I'll stay with her," encouraged Faith.  
  
"Alright."  
  
Angel took a few steps and stopped. He turned around and Faith looked at him.  
  
"I'm sorry I forgot to tell you about Joyce. With everything going on..."  
  
"It's okay. Get some sleep, Angel. Wait. Is there anything else I should know?"  
  
"Well, Dawn told me that Riley's out of the picture. You might want to avoid that subject," shrugged Angel.  
  
"He's dead?," asked Faith, her eyes wide.  
  
"Oh, no. Sorry. He just left. Dawn doesn't think Buffy ever told him that she loved him. She's had a tough year," said Angel, shaking his head.  
  
"Could be worse," said Faith.  
  
"It could be raining?," asked Angel.  
  
"She could be dead!"  
  
"Oh. Right," scowled Angel.  
  
"Good night, Angel."   
  
Angel nodded and went upstairs. Faith looked at Dawn and smiled. She walked over and knelt down beside her. The blanket covering her had mostly fallen down to the floor so Faith pulled it back over her. Dawn stirred but didn't wake. Faith hesitated, leaned forward and kissed Dawn's forehead. She stood and saw Buffy watching her from the doorway.  
  
"Hey," whispered Buffy, uncrossing her arms and putting her hands in her pockets. Faith glanced down at Dawn again and walked over to Buffy.  
  
"Couldn't sleep?," asked Faith.  
  
"No," smiled Buffy. "No chance of that. See anything in Restfield?"  
  
"This vamp you're looking for...tall, blonde hair, actually dresses in decent clothes and not like some loser from the eighties?"  
  
"That's him. Did you..."  
  
Faith shook her head.  
  
"I saw him. He went around a mausoleum and when I got there he was gone. Didn't have time to look for a hidden door, but I don't know how he got away," shrugged Faith.  
  
"We'll get him," said Buffy.  
  
Faith hesitated, staring at Buffy.  
  
"We?"  
  
Buffy smiled.  
  
"Could use the help. Like you said, he knows my scent."  
  
Faith smiled.  
  
"You know, I'm still getting used to this night shift gig. It's funny, too. I mean, most of our patrolling was done at night. But I'm spent. I'm going upstairs to get some sleep, okay?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
Faith turned to go but Buffy put a hand on her arm.  
  
"Faith, wait. I didn't thank you for saving Dawn before. You know what she means to me. So, I'm sorry about..."  
  
"Don't. You have nothing to be sorry for. Nothing."  
  
Faith looked away and turned to Dawn.  
  
"I've never understood your relationship with her," sighed Buffy.  
  
Faith looked at Buffy and sadly shook her head.  
  
"It's simple, B. I mean, I'm not jealous or anything, but she's the sister I never had. And..."  
  
Faith looked down from Buffy's gaze.  
  
"And?"  
  
"And...she's the girl you and I used to be. Before we were called. It's just not fair to her, you know?," asked Faith without ever looking up at Buffy.  
  
Buffy's eyes grew wide in surprise. She had never thought of Dawn like that.  
  
"Goodnight, Buffy," said Faith, walking away.  
  
Buffy didn't doubt her words. She sat down and watched her sister sleep. Behind her the sky slowly brightened with the sunrise.  
  
*****  
  
"Faith, wake up," said Angel, gently shaking her shoulder.  
  
"Hmm? Angel...time to get up already?"  
  
Angel smiled.  
  
"Well, I guess I could've let you sleep a little bit longer. For about twenty minutes, anyway. That's when the sun sets."  
  
"What?," exclaimed Faith, sitting up. "I slept all day?"  
  
"Guess you needed it. Giles wants us at the Magic Shop, so change your clothes. I'll meet you downstairs."  
  
"Where?," asked Faith.  
  
"Downstairs," repeated Angel.  
  
"No," said Faith, rolling her eyes. "The Magic Shop?"  
  
"His place of business," explained Angel.  
  
"Uh, Angel? We have time for breakfast?"  
  
"If you hurry."  
  
"What's the rush?," asked Faith.  
  
Angel hesitated, suddenly uncomfortable.  
  
"Uh-oh. I've seen that face before. What's up?," asked Faith, crossing her arms.  
  
"I have to go back to Los Angeles. But only for a day or two. Wesley's run into this demon and, well, he's in a little over his head with this one."  
  
"So? We go back, tag team this demon and return to Sunnydale. Not much happening here anyway," shrugged Faith.  
  
"We aren't going," said Angel.  
  
"We...you mean me. Angel..."  
  
"Faith, it isn't safe for you in LA. Not now," said Angel.  
  
"Oh, and it's safe for me here? The Council's after me, Angel. Doesn't matter where I go, I can't hide."  
  
"I know. That's why Giles is going to contact them. We need to settle this," said Angel.  
  
"Yes, we do. We," said Faith, standing up. "Angel, you said I wouldn't be alone. You can't leave me here. You, you have to teach me...stuff. You...Angel, I don't fit in here!"  
  
"It's only for a day or two. Faith, you know most everything there is to know about vampires. What you need now is something no one can teach. Experience. How you feel during the day, knowing how long you can go without feeding and what your body feels like when you don't. I know it's new, but you don't have to be afraid," said Angel.  
  
"So that's it? Wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am, time to move on?," yelled Faith.  
  
"Faith..."  
  
"Angel, please. I don't want to be alone. I'm always alone," pleaded Faith.  
  
"You won't be. Not here. I'll go get you some blood."  
  
"Don't bother! I'm suddenly not very hungry," lied Faith, turning her back to him.  
  
"I'll be downstairs," said Angel.  
  
*****  
  
They didn't talk on the drive over. Faith didn't even look at him. He held the door open for her and she rushed past him, suddenly aware that everyone was waiting for them. And that they were all looking at her but trying not to stare. The room was very quiet but far from calm.  
  
"Good. Everyone's here now. We can get started. Please, have a seat," offered Giles.  
  
Faith hesitated but Dawn pulled out a chair next to her. Faith noticed that Dawn wasn't smiling as she sat down between her and Willow. Angel stood behind them. Willow glanced at Faith and looked away.  
  
"What's wrong?," asked Faith, nodding at Dawn. She just shook her head.  
  
"I've contacted the Council. Twice, in fact. Quentin Travers hasn't returned my call yet, but I did learn that he's in this country, probably in Los Angeles by now," said Giles.  
  
"You think he'll listen to you?," asked Faith.  
  
"Oh, he'll listen. I just don't know what the Council will do," frowned Giles.  
  
"Yes, we do," sighed Faith.  
  
"But...they don't know you have your soul," protested Angel.  
  
"That didn't seem to matter to them before," said Dawn.  
  
"Let's wait to see what Quentin has to say before we jump to any conclusions, shall we?," asked Giles. "I'm sure Buffy and I will have an influence on his decision."  
  
Angel cleared his throat, getting Giles' attention.  
  
"Giles, I have to go. I'll keep in touch, but call us if you hear anything from them."  
  
"Of course," replied Giles.  
  
Angel put a hand on Faith's shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.  
  
"Faith, I'll be back as soon as I can," said Angel.  
  
Faith nodded but didn't turn around.  
  
"Angel, be careful," said Buffy.  
  
Angel nodded. Everyone said their goodbyes. Everyone but Faith.  
  
"Bye," whispered Faith, so softly no one else could hear.  
  
The door chime jingled as Angel left. Faith noticed that Dawn did seem upset.  
  
"Dawn, what's wrong? Something bothering you?," asked Faith.  
  
Dawn looked at Faith and shrugged.  
  
"That girl that Xander and Anya found in the cemetery last night. Dawn knew her," said Buffy.  
  
"I didn't just know her! She was one of the few people who didn't think I was weird. Enough so that she actually talked to me!," pouted Dawn.  
  
"I'm sorry, Dawn. We'll get this vamp. I promise you," said Faith.  
  
"Not if Buffy has her way," commented Dawn.  
  
"Huh?," said Faith.  
  
"Since all of these four girls were about Dawn's age, she thinks we should use her...as bait," spat Buffy.  
  
"What!? No way! Dawn, it's too dangerous," said Faith.  
  
"That's what we keep telling her," added Xander.  
  
"Glory is dangerous. This is one vamp! You telling me two Slayers can't handle one lousy vampire!," snapped Dawn. "How many girls have to die before you listen to me?"  
  
"Dawn, drop it! It's not an option," warned Buffy.  
  
"Gotta agree with her, Dawnie," said Faith.  
  
Dawn got up and walked to the other side of the room. Buffy closed her eyes and slowly shook her head.  
  
"Who's Glory?," asked Faith.  
  
"The latest big bad. Hell Goddess with an attitude. I'll fill ya in later," said Xander.  
  
Faith nodded. And then the phone rang. Giles reached for it.  
  
"Hello? Quentin! I was..."  
  
Giles listened for a moment and then hung up the phone.  
  
"Well, that was rather...cryptic. I couldn't even get in a word before he hung up. Buffy, Quentin wants to meet us down at the docks. Now," said Giles.  
  
"What, he couldn't just come here?," whined Buffy.  
  
"What about me?," asked Faith.  
  
"No, he was very specific. Buffy and I are to come alone," replied Giles.  
  
"Okay, let's get this over with," sighed Buffy, standing up. "Everyone just hang out here. We'll be right back."  
  
Giles went to get his coat. Dawn was still staring out the window with her back to her sister. Buffy glanced at Willow and was encouraged to go talk to Dawn with a nod from the redhead.  
  
"Dawn, I..."  
  
Dawn interrupted without turning around.  
  
"Buffy, this is different. I knew this girl. She wasn't just another faceless victim," cried Dawn.  
  
"You're right. And nothing I can say can change that, or make it hurt any less. But I will kill this guy. I will."  
  
"Buffy, Willow and Xander help, so why can't I?"  
  
Buffy gently turned her sister around and hugged her. Dawn reluctantly returned the embrace.  
  
"Because I'm scared. I couldn't handle it if something happened to you," whispered Buffy. Dawn sighed but didn't argue.  
  
"Buffy," called Giles.  
  
"I gotta go," said Buffy, running her hand through Dawn's hair. "Do me a favor and try to keep the others from staking Faith, okay?"  
  
Dawn tried not to smile but did anyway. Buffy and Giles left, leaving the others awkwardly with nothing to do.  
  
"Anyone want to play poker? We can use the money in the cash register," suggested Anya with a mischievous grin.  
  
"Maybe later," said Willow. "Tara and I need to finish researching a spell."  
  
"We do?," asked Tara, receiving a threatening glare from Willow.  
  
"Oh, right! We do," frowned Tara, getting up and smiling uncomfortably at Faith. She walked to the back of the shop. Willow got up to follow her.  
  
"Red, is there something you need to say to me? I don't think you've spoken to me even once since I've been here," said Faith.  
  
"No, I haven't," replied Willow, placing both hands on the table in front of her and leaning towards Faith's face. "How's this? I don't like you, I don't trust you and I'm not afraid of you. You still have your soul? Who gives a rat's ass? It didn't mean anything to you before and it means nothing to me now."  
  
Willow turned her back to Faith and calmly walked away.  
  
"Okay, that was rude," said Anya.  
  
"Whatever," shrugged Faith, trying to show that she didn't care but staring at Willow's back as she walked away. She considered the plate of chocolate chip cookies on the table in front of her and took one, biting into it. Faith wrinkled her nose at the bland taste. Hoping no one noticed, she put the rest of the cookie back on the plate. She stood up and walked over to the nearest bookshelf, noticing that Dawn was still staring out the front window. Faith went over and stood behind her.  
  
"Hey. Can I ask you something?"  
  
Dawn turned around and looked at Faith.  
  
"When I first got here, you said something to Buffy about your memories about me not being real. What did you mean?," asked Faith.  
  
"Oh, um...well, you know how overprotective big sis can be. She...I think she gets mad at me sometimes, because...because I only remember the good things about you. Drives her nuts. But hey, that's what sisters are for, right?," smiled Dawn.  
  
Faith tilted her head and gave her a doubtful look.  
  
"That's all it was. Really," complained Dawn.  
  
"If you say so," said Faith reluctantly.  
  
*****  
  
Collins rewound the cassette tape and disconnected the player from the phone.  
  
"Think Giles suspected anything?," asked Weatherby.  
  
"Nah. Didn't give him time to. Kept it short and sweet, just how your mum likes it," smiled Collins.  
  
"Good thing the Council has recorded his phone messages over the years. Sure came in handy tonight," said Weatherby. He long ago learned to ignore any maternal comments from his boss.  
  
"We'll see, won't we? We'd better hurry," said Collins.  
  
"What if those two witches are with her?"  
  
"Not a problem," replied Collins, slipping in a clip of ammunition into his handgun.  
  
*****  
  
"Giles, when exactly did Quentin tell you to meet him?," asked Buffy, turning around slowly to get a good view of the docks.  
  
"Well, he, um, wasn't very specific, actually. He said...now," shrugged Giles.  
  
"Well, now was twenty minutes ago. Ten more minutes and it will be now time to go," said Buffy.  
  
Giles glanced at his watch again, an uneasy feeling beginning to creep in upon him.  
  
*****  
  
Faith closed the book, not remembering what she had just looked at. She wondered if Giles had some blood stored somewhere in the back but was too embarrassed to ask anyone. Anyone but Dawn, that is.  
  
"Hey Dawn?"  
  
Faith stood up when she got no answer.  
  
"Dawn. Where are you?"  
  
Xander looked up from behind the counter where he had been talking with Anya.  
  
"I thought she was with you," said Xander.  
  
Faith shook her head.  
  
"I'll go in back, see if she's with Willow," said Anya.  
  
Faith walked towards the front door to see if she had stepped outside. And then she saw the note taped onto the glass. Faith ripped it free and quickly read it.  
  
"Xander!," yelled Faith, running back towards the counter.   
  
"She's not back here," called Anya, running out of the back room with Tara and Willow.  
  
"We've got trouble," said Faith, handing the note to Xander. He read it out loud.  
  
"Faith, I can't just stand around and do nothing. I'm going to Restfield and I know you'll follow me. Please don't be angry. I have a cross. Just hurry. Dawn."  
  
"Oh goddess, look after her!," whispered Tara.  
  
"Xander, take Anya and go find Buffy. Meet us at Restfield," said Willow.  
  
"Gotcha!," agreed Xander, running for the door with Anya following.  
  
"Tara, grab my bag. I need to find a book," said Willow, kneeling down in front of a row of books.  
  
"Look, I can run faster than you. What's the quickest way to get there?," demanded Faith.  
  
"Um, it's..."  
  
Tara appeared, carrying a small backpack.  
  
"Tara, go outside and tell her how to get to Restfield from here. Remember, it's a left at the light!"  
  
"Okay," nodded Tara.  
  
"Faith."  
  
Faith stopped and looked at Willow.  
  
"If something happens to her..."  
  
"What? This is my fault!? We don't have time for this," yelled Faith, running for the door.  
  
Willow scanned the shelf again, this time finding the book she needed and angry with herself for somehow missing it the first time. She was halfway to the door when the phone rang. She debated not picking it up but then thought it might be Giles.  
  
"Damn! Tara, wait!"  
  
Standing out on the sidewalk, Tara and Faith glanced back at Willow. Faith took two steps towards her and stood in the doorway as Willow grabbed the phone.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hello, this is Quentin Travers. Is Giles there please?"  
  
"But...Mr. Travers, you're supposed to be meeting him right now! Down by the docks."  
  
"Willow, is that you?"  
  
"Yes. You just called, not twenty minutes ago!"  
  
"No, I didn't. Is Faith with you?"   
  
"Um...who?," grimaced Willow.  
  
"Willow, listen to me very carefully. I know you have no reason to trust me, but you and Tara and whoever else is with you right now are in very grave danger. I want you to hang up this phone right now and run! Do it!," yelled Travers.  
  
Willow dropped the phone, wide-eyed, and looked out at Faith.  
  
"Tara! They're here!," screamed Willow.  
  
Faith turned and looked at Tara. She was staring down the street to Faith's right. Following her gaze, Faith sensed movement. For some reason she focused on his right knee. No, not on his knee, but on the glint of metal in his hand hanging confidently by his side. Ten steps away. Even a Slayer couldn't close that distance in time.  
  
Knowing the gun couldn't be meant for her, Faith spun, not wasting time to shout a warning. She realized that she wouldn't even have time to push Tara out of the way. The gun was at waist level now. It occurred to Faith that she hadn't even looked up to see this guy's face yet.  
  
One step towards him, angling herself to get between him and Tara. The gun would be raised no higher. His finger tightened on the trigger. Another step, still not fast enough. The shot exploded in her ears even before she felt the burning in her side. One more stride and she was almost close enough. If only...  
  
The next bullet caught her higher up, in the ribs. The gunshot echoed in her ears even as the impact spun her off balance. Her knees gave out from under her. Only her momentum carried Faith towards him now, but it was enough. She lashed out with her right fist, bringing it down in an arc and connecting with his wrist. Faith felt the satisfying snap of bone but didn't hear it, her ears ringing with the gunshot. The gun fell silently to the ground as Faith collapsed face down on the sidewalk.  
  
"Tara!," screamed Willow, now in the doorway of the shop.  
  
Faith looked up, holding her side, her face contorted with pain. Another pair of legs appeared. She felt his foot on her shoulder, kicking her onto her back. She tried to roll into a sitting position but was blinded by a searing pain as a cross was forced down upon her forehead.  
  
Hearing Faith scream, Willow turned. The man standing over her now held a crossbow over her chest. He struggled for a moment, trying to center the weapon over Faith's heart. Just beyond him on the sidewalk was a metal box holding the day's newspapers. Willow tilted her head back and the box flew up, knocking the weapon from his hand.  
  
Now only holding a cross and facing not only a vampire but an angry witch, Collins turned and ran. Holding his now useless arm in his left hand, it took Weatherby a moment to realize it was time to run. He quickly followed his partner. Faith staggered to one knee, holding her side with both hands and watched them go. Tara ran to her side to help her up.  
  
Willow heard the screeching of the tires as the car turned the corner towards them.   
  
"Tara!," screamed Willow.  
  
Tara turned, blinded by the headlights and too shocked to move. Faith stood and pushed Tara towards the sidewalk, knowing she couldn't jump out of the way in time. The car slammed into her, knocking her into the windshield and flipping her over the roof. The car continued down the street and then slammed on the brakes. For a moment Willow feared she would see the white of the reverse lights but the two men got into the car and it drove off, tires skidding on the pavement.  
  
Faith lay motionless in the street.  
  
*****  
  
Dawn stood in front of the Restfield Cemetery gate, too scared to go in. The street here was darker than she remembered it, the night quieter than she wanted it to be.  
  
"Okay, Faith, maybe this was a dumb idea. You can come get me now," whispered Dawn.  
  
She reached into her pocket and gripped the cross tightly in her hand. But it gave her little comfort.  
  
"Please?," said Dawn, swallowing nervously.  
  
Dawn suddenly realized that she was not alone.  
  
END OF PART SEVEN   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	8. Part 8

Title: Into The Mirror  
  
PART EIGHT - The Dimming Of The Day  
  
Buffy heard the car long before she saw it. She knew it couldn't be good news by how fast the driver was going. And when she knew the car belonged to Xander she began to panic.  
  
*****  
  
"Faith!," yelled Willow.  
  
She reached her side even before Tara did. Faith moaned and pressed her hands palm down on the pavement but couldn't push herself up. Willow got a glimpse of the side of her face. Faith had her game face on.  
  
"How bad is it?," asked Willow nervously.  
  
"Bad," replied Faith through clenched teeth. "I think my right leg might be broken."  
  
"We'll help you up," said Willow.  
  
"Just...just a second," whispered Faith. She turned her face away from Willow and pushed herself up. When she looked back at Willow Faith was human again. Willow winced, seeing the pain and tears on her face.  
  
"Tara, get her other arm," ordered Willow.   
  
They gently eased her up.   
  
"I can't put any weight on this leg," cried Faith, leaning heavily on Willow's shoulder.  
  
Tara took Faith's arm, draping it over her shoulder.  
  
"Let's get you inside," said Willow.  
  
They dragged Faith into the shop and eased her down onto the floor to one side of the checkout counter, far from the windows. Tara ran back and locked the door, then quickly shuffled back to Willow's side.  
  
"Keep the lights off. I can see even if you can't. Those Council guys probably have night vision goggles anyway, but let's not make it easy for them," said Faith, slowly moving into a sitting position.  
  
"I...I didn't turn the lights off," said Willow, flipping the light switch back and forth several times. Nothing happened.  
  
"I don't think we have a choice," said Tara, holding up the phone. "It's dead. They probably cut the line."  
  
The room remained dark but there was enough light coming in from the street to move around the shop.  
  
"Say, Red, you wouldn't happen to have any healing spells in your bag of tricks, would you?," asked Faith, pulling up her shirt to examine the bullet holes. Both wounds were still bleeding.  
  
"Well, I do, but..."  
  
Faith looked up, her eyebrows scrunched together.  
  
"It's mostly long term stuff and, well...it only works on living tissue," frowned Willow.  
  
"Oh. Hey, no big. It's not like I can die from this," smiled Faith. She winced as she shifted her weight.  
  
"Faith, if I could do anything to help you, even if it was just to ease the pain, I would," said Willow.  
  
"Yeah. Whatever."  
  
Willow was stung that Faith didn't believe her.  
  
"Willow, we need Buffy. I should go," said Tara.  
  
"Go? No way! Tara, they tried to kill you! It's, it's not safe!," protested Willow.  
  
"How safe is it for her in here? She has a point, Red. In fact, you should both go," said Faith.  
  
"And what? Just let them have you? I don't think so," snapped Willow.  
  
"So...what do we do?," shrugged Tara.  
  
"We wait," replied Willow firmly.  
  
"For Buffy? Or for those bastards to walk in, shoot you both and then kill me?," asked Faith.  
  
"Willow, there's a pay phone just around the corner. If I go out the back way..."  
  
"Tara, no!," said Willow, stepping closer to Tara and putting a hand on her shoulder. "Besides, Giles doesn't have a cell phone."  
  
"But Xander does. He got it at work, remember? And I know the number."  
  
"No," whispered Willow, her voice pleading.  
  
"I, I don't see anybody out there right now. And I can run pretty darn fast," said Tara with an unconvincing smile.  
  
"Tara, please," begged Willow.  
  
Tara looked down at her feet and didn't look up when she spoke.  
  
"You...you want to try that barrier spell again?"  
  
Willow lowered her hand and glanced at Faith.  
  
"No," whispered Willow. Faith stared at her, very confused.  
  
"Didn't think so," said Tara, reaching over and grabbing a candle off the counter behind them. She looked around for a book of matches.  
  
"Ignis incende," said Willow. The wick on the candle suddenly burned with a flame.  
  
"Show off," smiled Tara.   
  
Faith raised one eyebrow and nodded her head, impressed. Tara walked past Faith down the hall towards the back door, one hand in front of the candle as she walked. She stopped in front of a closet, opened the door and smiled.  
  
"Tara? What are you doing?," asked Willow.  
  
"Thought so! There's a full length mirror on the back of this door. We can do a reflection spell, create a diversion so I can go out the back way," said Tara.  
  
"Huh?," grunted Faith.  
  
Willow did not look happy.  
  
"She wants to create an image of herself. To anyone outside it will seem as if Tara went out the front door and ran down the street," explained Willow.  
  
"Oh. But...you don't like," nodded Faith.  
  
"No. It's not the spell I'm worried about, it's the 'her leaving' part. But I didn't say I wouldn't do it," sighed Willow.  
  
Tara smiled. And then she put the candle down on the floor, walked over to Faith and knelt down beside her.  
  
"Just wanted to say thank you. For what you did," said Tara.  
  
"Sure," nodded Faith, smiling uncomfortably.   
  
Tara smiled and seemed like she wanted to say something else. Instead, she stood up.  
  
"Tara?," said Faith.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Run fast. Like I was chasing you."  
  
Tara grinned and nodded. She walked back and picked the candle up, holding it with both hands as she faced the mirror.  
  
"You got a quarter on you?," asked Willow.  
  
"Yes. Now hurry up before I change my mind," laughed Tara.  
  
Willow took a deep breath and stood to one side, so that only Tara's reflection was on the mirror. She stood very still as Willow whispered a few Latin words that Faith didn't understand. She repeated them and then Tara closed her eyes and said them as well. Holding her breath, Tara opened her eyes and snapped her head in Faith's direction, staring at the front door until she could no longer hold her breath.  
  
"It's done," announced Tara, handing the candle to Willow. She refused to take it.  
  
"Just...put it on the floor. I don't like the symbolism involved with you handing me back the candle," frowned Willow.  
  
Tara put the candle down by her feet and opened her arms to Willow.  
  
"Honey, be careful, okay?," said Willow as they embraced.  
  
"Stop worrying. I'll be fine," said Tara confidently. But she knew how scared she appeared when she saw the concern on Faith's face. She kissed Willow quickly on the lips and pulled away from her.  
  
"For luck," smiled Tara. Willow didn't smile back.  
  
Willow followed Tara to the back door and they both looked outside but saw no one. Willow shut the door behind Tara and locked it. Walking past the candle, she picked it up and sat down next to Faith, placing it between them.   
  
"She'll be fine, Red. It's me they want. Remember?"  
  
"Oh, so that's why they shot at her and tried to run her over, because they're after you!," said Willow, not looking at Faith.  
  
"They thought she was helping me at the time. Well, I'm not with her now, right?"  
  
"I guess," shrugged Willow.  
  
Faith studied her for about a minute. Only once did Willow glance in her direction.  
  
"She must be very special to you, huh?," asked Faith.  
  
"Oh yeah," replied Willow, almost allowing herself a smile.  
  
"So, what's with the doing spells together?"  
  
"Huh?," said Willow, narrowing her eyes at Faith.  
  
"It seems like there are some spells you can do without literally blinking an eye and others that you're afraid to try. Like that barrier one. Are you afraid you might screw it up or something?," asked Faith.  
  
"Oh. Not afraid of screwing it up. I'm getting to be one real bad ass witch, you know? But just afraid in general. Not of the doing and the casting, but of the doing and the consequences," said Willow.  
  
"Um...huh?," grimaced Faith.  
  
"See, I'm a practicing Wiccan, and balance, doing no harm, the circle of life...all very important to us. But I've been delving into the black arts lately. Some really dark stuff...nasty stuff that has nothing to do with balance," sighed Willow. "Not by choice, mind you. Buffy needs help against Glory."  
  
"So, what? You're afraid they're going to revoke your membership card or something?," asked Faith.  
  
"No," smiled Willow. "They can't do that as long as your dues are paid up."  
  
Faith stared at Willow, not sure if Willow was being serious or not.  
  
"That was a joke, Faith."  
  
"Yeah. I knew that," nodded Faith.  
  
"Look, I haven't even told Buffy about this yet, okay? She's had way too much to worry about. I mean, I can get used to the nosebleeds, I don't mind the headaches or the strange cravings...which maybe I shouldn't have mentioned," frowned Willow, seeing the curious look on Faith's face, "but dark magic, while powerful, has it's drawbacks."  
  
"Like what?," asked Faith.  
  
"Like owing a tribute to a god or, or some demon...like getting so caught up in the adrenaline rush, the feeling of power...it's scary. Damn terrifying, sometimes. I'm talking about not knowing where you end and where magic begins. I'm talking about losing your soul territory here."  
  
Willow looked away, ashamed at what she was admitting to Faith.  
  
"You think you're so strong, but you're not. You really, really are not," said Willow softly.  
  
"Hey. You don't have to...what I mean is, I know where you're coming from. Exactly where. I understand," said Faith, putting a hand on Willow's arm. "And you should be afraid."  
  
Willow looked down at Faith's hand and slowly raised her head until their eyes met.  
  
"Yeah. I guess you would understand," agreed Willow. "I'm sorry. I...I never thought of you in that light."  
  
"Never gave you a reason to, did I?," asked Faith, wincing as she tried to sit up. She gave up and wrapped her arms around herself as her body began to tremble.  
  
"Hey, wait a minute. You're not only a vampire...you're still a Slayer. Why hasn't that wound started to heal yet?," asked Willow, kneeling over Faith. "You're still bleeding!"  
  
"Wounds, as in plural. Didn't want to bother you with it, ya know? I mean, like I said, it's not like I can die from this. Right?," asked Faith, suddenly unsure of herself.  
  
"No...I guess not. But..."  
  
"I haven't slept much. Maybe I'm just tired," shrugged Faith, wincing again and still shaking.  
  
"No. It's not that simple. You've lost a lot of blood and you haven't...when's the last time you ate?"  
  
"Does half of a cookie count?," asked Faith.  
  
Willow ignored her attempt at humor.  
  
"Night before last," admitted Faith.   
  
"Oh boy. So much for plan B," sighed Willow.  
  
"Plan B?"  
  
"Yeah, the one where you heal up real fast like and take on the bad guys?"  
  
"Oh. That plan."  
  
"You want a blanket?," pouted Willow.  
  
"Ain't going to help much, Red. I'm dead. Remember?," snapped Faith.  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"No. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you. I, I need you to do me a favor. Okay?," asked Faith.  
  
"Sure. What?"  
  
"Find a knife. And no dainty little cheese poker. Something with a little heft to it," said Faith, her teeth chattering.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"One of the bullets passed through, but the other one lodged in my ribs. I need to dig it out."  
  
"Ew. Uh, be right back."  
  
Willow opened a drawer behind the counter and almost immediately found what she was looking for.  
  
"One good thing about having a Slayer in the house, there's lot's of sharp pointy things lying around."  
  
Willow handed Faith the knife. She pulled up her shirt and explored the wound with a finger, biting down hard on her teeth.  
  
"Yeah, it's there. Shallow, too. Shouldn't be too bad," said Faith, looking up nervously at Willow. Willow only shook her head.  
  
Faith gripped the knife and moved the point of the blade down along her stomach but her hand was shaking so badly she couldn't guide it into position.   
  
"Damn," whispered Faith, closing her eyes in frustration.  
  
And then she felt Willow's hand over hers, taking the knife away.   
  
"I'll do it," said Willow.  
  
Faith opened her eyes...and saw that Willow's eyes were dark, completely black. Faith opened her eyes even wider.  
  
"Red..."  
  
"Shh. Close your eyes. I'm going to try something. An incantation."  
  
Faith didn't close her eyes.  
  
"It's only to numb the pain for a minute or two. You'll still feel pressure, but that's it...if it works," frowned Willow.  
  
"No, you don't..."  
  
"Don't be such a wimp!," said Willow, hefting the knife.  
  
"Why do I think you're going to enjoy this?"  
  
"Faith, please...I don't want to stay like this very long. Just...trust me. Okay?"  
  
Faith hesitated but then nodded and closed her eyes.  
  
"Hold your shirt up," said Willow.  
  
Faith did as she was told. Willow passed her hands over the wounds, her finger barely brushing the skin.   
  
"That tickles," giggled Faith.  
  
"Shh! Now take a deep breath and relax. Oh! Sorry," winced Willow.  
  
Faith felt Willow blow gently on her abdomen, her breath cool, like water.  
  
"Hey...I think it worked. It doesn't hurt as much," said Faith softly. She felt Willow's hand pressing against her side and tried not to cry out as the pain intensified.  
  
"All done," announced Willow.  
  
Faith opened her eyes. Willow was smiling at her, her own eyes back to normal.  
  
"There, that wasn't so bad, was it?," smiled Willow.  
  
She stood up and went behind the counter again.   
  
"I think there's a first aid kit in here. Heck, I know there is. Let's bandage up those wounds. Maybe you'll stop bleeding."  
  
"Thank you, Red. I...appreciate it. What you did," said Faith.  
  
Willow grabbed the first aid kit and knelt down beside Faith.  
  
"No. Thank you. What you did for Tara, I...I never would've expected it. She means so much to me and, and I owe you. Big," said Willow tearfully.  
  
"Um...you're welcome. I mean, I didn't think what I was doing. Instinct took over. And see? I am trying. I really am. But who am I kidding? I can never make it up to you guys, to Buffy, what I did...saying I'm sorry just doesn't cut it, ya know? But I am. I just don't know how..."  
  
Faith looked down and didn't finish what she wanted to say. She felt Willow begin to tape gauze over her ribs.   
  
"We'll have to keep pressure on this," said Willow.  
  
Faith nodded.  
  
"Faith, I'm not sure we're ready to forgive you yet. But I believe that you're sincere."  
  
Faith looked up and Willow smiled.  
  
"Thank you," whispered Faith, turning her head so Willow wouldn't see the tears in her eyes.   
  
"So...instinct took over. Is that what happened when you came back and went into that Church to go after those vamps? When you were in Buffy's body, I mean," said Willow, reaching around Faith's back to cover the exit wound.  
  
"No. I think if I were still in my own body I would've just walked. But B...that's just not her style. So...I couldn't, I couldn't just leave those people there. Because Buffy wouldn't. I owed her that much."  
  
Faith looked up again at Willow and saw her smiling.  
  
"Pfft! Don't give me that! You're a Slayer. And always will be. I think instinct kicked in. All done."  
  
Faith's body began to shudder again.  
  
"Giles doesn't keep any blood around here, does he? In case Angel happens to drop in for a visit?," asked Faith.  
  
"Um, well, he used to, anyway. For Spike, not Angel."   
  
"Spike? William the Bloody?," asked Faith.  
  
"Yeah, see, you know about the chip in his head, so he's kinda harmless. Actually seemed helpful there for a while. And...let's just say that lately he's worn out his welcome. So when you and Angel arrived...uh...I was supposed to go to the butcher this morning, but I thought Xander was going and he, he thought I was going..."  
  
"There's no blood," said Faith.  
  
"No. Sorry," shrugged Willow.  
  
"No big. I'm sure Buffy will be back soon. I just hope Dawn's alright."  
  
"And Tara," sighed Willow.  
  
"Yeah. And Tara," nodded Faith.   
  
*****  
  
Tara managed to drop the quarter into the pay phone and dialed Xander's number, her hands trembling. After a few rings without him picking up she was connected with his voice mail.  
  
"Xander, I hope you found Buffy! As soon as you get this message get back to the Magic Box. Willow and Faith are in trouble. Please hurry!"  
  
Tara slammed the phone down.  
  
"Damn!"  
  
The street was deserted and very quiet. Tara heard the footsteps approaching and her eyes opened wide. Without turning around even once to see who it was, Tara ran.   
  
*****  
  
Buffy jumped from the car even before it came to a stop. She spun around in a full circle but there was no one in the area. Then she noticed that the gate to the entrance of the cemetery was open, the chain holding the iron bars together broken and lying on the ground.  
  
"All right, everyone spread out once we're inside. Just stay within shouting distance of one another. Maybe he'll hear us coming before..."  
  
Buffy couldn't finish.  
  
"We'll find her, Buffy," reassured Xander.  
  
Buffy's expression showed that she wanted to believe him. And that she was scared. She turned and ran into the graveyard. The Slayer hadn't gotten far when Giles called out to her. She headed back, angling off to her left to follow Giles' voice. He was standing still, looking down at something on the ground. Buffy realized that it was a body.  
  
"No!," screamed Buffy, running to his side. Xander and Anya quickly joined them.  
  
"It's alright, Buffy! It's not Dawn," said Giles.  
  
Buffy looked down. It was another girl about Dawn's age. She was on her back and her arms were folded over her chest.  
  
"Well, of course it's not alright. I didn't mean..."  
  
"Giles, we don't have time for this right now. Start searching again!," gasped Buffy.  
  
She hadn't taken three steps when Giles called out to her again.  
  
"Buffy! Listen."  
  
Buffy froze, not even turning around. And then she heard it. Further off to their left, a muffled cry. Buffy ran in that direction, bounding over tombstones instead of going around them.  
  
Dawn was lying on her back, feet tied together and hands bound crossed over her, held in place by a heavy rope wrapped around her chest. Her mouth was taped over. But she was alive. Her eyes were wide open and looking at Buffy. Buffy ripped the tape from her mouth.  
  
"Youch!," yelled Dawn, squinting.  
  
"Dawn! Are you hurt?," asked Buffy loudly. The others gathered behind her.  
  
"No. No, I'm..."  
  
"Have you lost your mind!? You could've been killed! Or worse! Do you have any idea..."  
  
Buffy stopped, seeing that Dawn was beginning to cry.  
  
"I'm so sorry. Buffy, I'm so sorry," sobbed Dawn.  
  
Buffy sighed, gently lifted Dawn and gave her a hug.  
  
"I know," whispered Buffy. "But you had me so scared."  
  
Buffy began untying the rope from Dawn.  
  
"Buffy, he waited for you. He wanted you to have a message," managed Dawn, catching her breath. Buffy stopped what she was doing and stared at her.  
  
"He said, he said he had already killed tonight. That he only kills once a night. And that he would keep killing, once a night, until you found him. If you could. That's why I'm alive. To tell you," sniffed Dawn.  
  
Buffy glanced up at Giles and shook her head.  
  
"Giles, let's get Dawn home."  
  
Giles nodded, his eyes searching the graveyard around them.  
  
"He's not here," said Buffy, untying the last knot around Dawn's ankle and helping her up.  
  
"And neither are Willow or Tara," added Xander as if he just realized this.  
  
"Well, Faith can watch out for them. I want to get Dawn home. Oh, and by the way Dawn, you know you're grounded until you're like, twenty-one, right?," glared Buffy.  
  
Dawn didn't argue. She simply looked down at the ground and nodded.  
  
END OF PART EIGHT   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	9. Part 9

Title: Into The Mirror  
  
PART NINE - Once Bitten, Twice Shy  
  
"They've been gone for almost two hours. Something's wrong. I just know it!"  
  
Faith didn't answer this time so Willow looked at her. Faith's face was slick with perspiration and she was shaking.  
  
"You're not doing so good, are you?," asked Willow.  
  
Faith didn't look up.  
  
"I'm...I'm just cold."  
  
"No. You're hungry."  
  
Faith didn't deny it.  
  
"So that's why you haven't been looking at me," said Willow.  
  
"Is it that obvious?"  
  
"Well, yeah. But I thought I was just annoying you, being all whiny girl and all," said Willow.  
  
"That didn't help. But it's really because I couldn't stop looking at your neck," frowned Faith.  
  
"Even with the turtleneck?," asked Willow. Faith nodded.  
  
"Oh," grimaced Willow, scrunching her neck down into her shoulders.  
  
"And I can hear your heartbeat. I know how nervous you are, Red," said Faith, finally looking up at her.  
  
"Not to repeat myself but...oh. Maybe I'll just move over here," said Willow, standing up and wandering over to the front door. She didn't notice Faith hide her face in her hands.  
  
"Listen. It's very difficult for me to...what I mean is, it's very exhausting for me to stay like this."  
  
Willow turned around and stared at Faith, obviously not understanding.  
  
"My face. If I change, it doesn't mean I'm going to bite you or something. I'm in control and, and I would never do that. I just don't want you to see me that way," said Faith, looking down.  
  
"Faith, it's okay. I've seen Angel. I'm not afraid of you."  
  
"Yes, you are. And you should be. See, even with a soul, I'm not exactly like Angel."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"The blood...it's different for me. It's like a drug. This craving just builds up until...and when I drink, there's this incredible rush, a high you wouldn't believe," said Faith.  
  
"And that's different from Angel how?," asked Willow.  
  
"Afterwards, well...you come down real quick. That high is replaced by guilt so overwhelming I want to puke. And I haven't even tasted human blood yet. It's not like that for Angel. He doesn't understand it either. It's one of the things he wanted to talk to Giles about."  
  
"And what did Giles say?," asked Willow.  
  
"That maybe it will be different when I accept what's happened to me."  
  
"Maybe he's right," said Willow.  
  
Faith didn't answer her.  
  
"Faith, if it's easier for you, just let go. It might even help you heal. It doesn't bother me. I...I just don't want to see you in any pain," said Willow, turning to face the window again.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Why? What kind of question is that?," asked Willow, turning around again to face her.  
  
"After all I did to Buffy, all I put her through...how can you forgive me? Isn't there some part of you, deep down, that's happy I'm dead? Don't I deserve this?," demanded Faith.  
  
Willow opened her mouth in astonishment. Her lower lip began to tremble as she spoke.  
  
"How...how can you say that? Is that what you think of me? I'm not happy! I wouldn't wish what happened to you on anyone!," yelled Willow, turning around once again.  
  
"Wow. I uh...Red, are you crying?"  
  
"No!," lied Willow.  
  
Faith stared at Willow's back.  
  
"You know, my whole life, I don't think anyone has ever shed tears for me," said Faith, her voice small.  
  
"I'm sorry," said Willow automatically.  
  
"Don't be. I don't want anyone to feel sorry for me!," yelled Faith.  
  
Willow stared out the window. Faith stared at her hands, her body still shaking.  
  
"She should've been back by now. Something's wrong. Something's terribly wrong," cried Willow, not able to choke back her tears.  
  
She stood there, not moving, but Faith didn't say anything. And then the large window near the door exploded, sending glass flying everywhere.  
  
"Red! Get down!," yelled Faith.  
  
Willow dropped to the floor and covered her head with her arms. Another gun shot was heard and then it was quiet.  
  
"Are you okay? Red! Answer me!"  
  
"Yeah. I...I think so," answered Willow softly. She crawled on her hands and knees back to Faith's side.  
  
"Faith...they, they tried to kill me! But, but I...I'm a human being. I never...I have a soul. How could they...Faith, they tried to kill me!"  
  
"It's time for you to go."  
  
"What?," asked Willow.  
  
"Run. It's me they want. Once they have me, you'll be safe," said Faith.  
  
"No."  
  
"You don't have a choice! Now get going!," demanded Faith.  
  
"I'm not leaving you here to die!"  
  
"I'm already dead!," whispered Faith.  
  
"Not to me you aren't," replied Willow.  
  
Faith just looked at her blankly.  
  
"You have a soul. And you are a Slayer. For whatever reason, you were chosen. One...well, two...okay three, there's three of you now, but you're all very special. And you alone have been given a second chance. There must be a reason. It's yours to throw away, but not for someone to take."  
  
"But..."  
  
"Hey!," interrupted Willow. "You think your soul is the only one worth saving? My soul's on the line here too. It's not about black and white, right versus wrong. It's the gray areas, the little choices you make along the way. And I'm not going to let karma bite me on the ass because I didn't help you. So if it makes you feel better, it ain't about you here. Okay?"  
  
"Sure. Whatever. Uh, Willow?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"You're bleeding," said Faith, nodding at her forehead. "Must've been a piece of glass."  
  
Willow touched the cut and looked at the blood on her finger. She reached into the first aid kit and took out some gauze, pressing it against her forehead. Faith now had her back to her. Willow again looked at the blood on her finger.  
  
"Oh."  
  
"We're safe for now," said Faith.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"They don't know how hurt I am. Sunrise isn't that far off. Wouldn't you wait until it was light out to attack a vampire?," said Faith.  
  
"Faith, look at me."  
  
"No. I don't want you to see me this way."  
  
"Turn around. Now!," barked Willow.  
  
Faith's shoulders slumped and she slowly, and painfully, turned. Willow's face betrayed no emotion as she stared into Faith's yellow eyes.  
  
"See? It doesn't matter. I know who you are," smiled Willow.  
  
"I can smell your fear," answered Faith. Willow stopped smiling and rolled her eyes.  
  
"It's obvious the Council wants me dead too. They don't want any witnesses. And, and if they want me dead, then Tara..."  
  
Willow choked back her tears.  
  
"No! Tara's fine. I know it," said Faith.  
  
"How? How can you know that?," begged Willow, tears now flowing.  
  
"You would know. Angel and I have a connection because he made me. I know when he's in a room without even having to look."  
  
"Like, like what he and Buffy have. She knows, too. Because he drank from her," said Willow.  
  
"Yeah. But that's only part of the reason. They have a stronger connection because he loves her. You and Tara have that. She loves you. And you would know if anything happened to her," smiled Faith.  
  
Willow smiled and sniffed back tears.  
  
"Thank you," said Willow, shaking her head. She moved closer to Faith and knelt beside her.  
  
"I can't protect us, Faith. Might slow them down, but..."  
  
"I don't want you to."  
  
"If you were healed up some, even a little, I'm sure you could hold them off. At least until Buffy got here."  
  
"I guess. But I need blood."  
  
Willow sat very still and simply stared at Faith. Faith narrowed her eyes...and then opened them wide.  
  
"You have got to be kidding me here!," snapped Faith.  
  
"Got any better ideas?"  
  
"Sure. I crawl out there and you run out the back door!"  
  
"Ain't happening. Ever seen my resolve face?," asked Willow.  
  
"No! I won't do it!," yelled Faith.  
  
"I can make you. And sooner or later the temptation will get to you. The quicker we do this the more time you'll have to heal."  
  
"No freakin' way!"  
  
"What choice do we have?," sighed Willow.  
  
"No!"  
  
"Hey! I'm not saying you can drain me! Just take enough to help you. Just...just a little," said Willow.  
  
"Red, you don't know what you're saying. You don't know how dangerous this is."  
  
"People trying to shoot me dead is dangerous," answered Willow.  
  
"But, I've never...I, I don't know if I could stop myself. You know that, don't you?"  
  
Willow looked down and took a deep breath.  
  
"Guess I'll just have to trust you," smiled Willow.  
  
Faith tilted her head and looked at Willow.  
  
"You said you owed me, because of Tara, but this isn't how..."  
  
"This has nothing to do with that!," argued Willow.  
  
"Aren't you scared?," asked Faith.  
  
"Oh, I past scared a long time ago. I'd say I'm officially spooked," said Willow.  
  
Faith leaned her head against the wall behind her and looked at the ceiling.  
  
"Faith, if...if you do, you know, bite me...well, that's a good sized wound. Will I...could I bleed to death even if...not if, I mean when you stop?"  
  
"No. There's some kind of clotting factor in my saliva. My Watcher told me that," said Faith.  
  
"Wesley told you that?"  
  
"No. My first Watcher," answered Faith.  
  
"Oh."   
  
Willow rolled back off her knees and sat down on her butt.  
  
"So...," she said, rolling her eyes but not looking at Faith. When she did glance at her, Faith was smiling.  
  
"What?," asked Willow.  
  
"Um...turtleneck?," said Faith, touching her own neck with a finger while staring at Willow's black sweater. "Kinda awkward for what we have in mind, no?"  
  
"Oh. Right," agreed Willow, nervously smiling. Leaning forward, she gripped the bottom of her sweater and yanked it over her head, shaking her hair free as she pulled it off. She slid her arms out and tossed the sweater onto the floor. The simple black bra she wore made her pale skin seem even whiter.  
  
"There," announced Willow, her voice straining to find confidence. She tried to smile for Faith and suddenly realized she didn't know what to do with her hands. Faith did smile, her eyes taking in Willow's lean form.  
  
"Hey, don't get the wrong idea here. This is strictly business. I already have a girlfriend," added Willow with a hollow glare.  
  
"I bet you say that to all the girls," winked Faith.  
  
Willow slowly exhaled, puffing out her cheeks. Neither of them spoke. Willow swallowed and lowered her gaze to the floor.  
  
"Um...is there something you want me to do?," asked Willow, her voice small.  
  
"Uh...I'm not sure. I'm sorry Red, I'm, well, you know...just a little nervous. It's my first time. I haven't done anything like this before. Hence the first time," frowned Faith.  
  
Willow's eyes opened just a little wider.  
  
"Hello? You're nervous? And what exactly do you think is going through my mind right now?," sighed Willow.  
  
Faith knelt beside her, favoring her bad leg. Willow hesitated but looked up at her. This time she did smile, gently brushing Faith's cheek with the fingers of her left hand.  
  
"Faith, relax. Just do what comes naturally, what feels right. Let instinct take over."  
  
"Yeah," nodded Faith, biting her lower lip. Willow pushed Faith's hair back off to one side. Faith smiled and leaned in towards her...and felt Willow's other hand press against her, holding her back.  
  
"Faith?," whispered Willow.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Could you do something for me?," asked Willow, wrinkling her nose.  
  
"Oh, sure. Anything. What..."  
  
"Could you call me Willow? It's...it's my name. I'm only Red to you and, and I'd really like it if..."  
  
"Willow," whispered Faith, putting a finger over Willow's lips. "From now on...only Willow...I promise."  
  
Faith smiled and Willow nodded.  
  
"Thanks," said Willow, her body beginning to shiver.  
  
"Hey, are you cold?," asked Faith, running a hand through Willow's hair.  
  
"No. No, not at all. It's just..."  
  
"I understand. Know what? You need to relax. Willow...close your eyes."  
  
Willow held Faith's tender gaze for a moment and then slowly closed her eyes, leaning back against the wall behind her.  
  
"I'm not Faith. I'm Tara. And you can trust Tara...she wouldn't hurt you. And I won't. I'm Tara. And she's been with you before, so there's nothing to be nervous about, nothing to be afraid of..."  
  
"Tara," whispered Willow, with the slightest smile on her lips.  
  
Willow tilted her head to one side, exposing her neck. Faith leaned in, rubbing her cold cheek against the warm skin just above Willow's shoulder. Willow's lips parted as Faith kissed her neck and brought her lips next to her ear.  
  
"Willow?," whispered Faith.  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"Thank you," said Faith, her soft words having no breath behind them.  
  
Willow nodded once.   
  
Faith gently tugged at Willow's earlobe and then eased her tongue along her neck, exploring her skin. Willow put her hands palm down on the floor beside her. Her fingers clenched as Faith's mouth pressed down against her neck, tensing even more as Faith gently penetrated her. Willow gasped and her back stiffened against the wall behind her. Faith pushed in deeper and began to drink, softly moving her fangs in and out, her tongue drawing in what she needed.  
  
Willow slowly raised one hand, placing it on Faith's back. Faith moaned and shifted her weight, lifting her bad leg so that she was now between Willow's knees. Willow opened her eyes and grabbed Faith's back with both hands now, easing her legs apart, pulling the other girl into her. Faith responded by sucking harder, her own hand sliding up Willow's side, resting against the softness of her bra and pressing against it.  
  
Willow's body rose to meet Faith, her nails digging into the other girl's back with a moan. The candle behind them cast a single silhouette upon the wall. Willow's eyes closed and her grip loosened, her hands sliding down Faith's back, her body going limp. Her head slumped to one side...and still Faith fed.  
  
Faith pulled away, licking her lips, shocked at how easy it was. Though the desire to keep feeding was powerful she was able to control it. She shook her head, clearing her face, and rested Willow's neck on her arm.  
  
"Willow. Hey, you okay?"  
  
Willow didn't open her eyes. Her head rolled back freely, supported only by Faith's arm.  
  
"Willow! C'mon now, girl, you're scaring me," said Faith, shaking Willow's shoulder with her free hand. Willow moaned and Faith felt her neck stiffen on her arm.  
  
"That's it. Time to wake up. You're going to be alright. Can you hear me? Willow, talk to me," said Faith, again gently shaking her shoulder.  
  
"Tara?," whispered Willow, not opening her eyes. Faith winced.  
  
"No. No, it's me. Faith. You remember where you are? Do...do you remember what happened?," asked Faith softly.  
  
Willow opened her eyes.  
  
"Faith."  
  
"Yep. Right here. You're going to be fine. Your heartbeat is strong," said Faith, brushing Willow's hair away from her eyes.  
  
"You...you didn't take too much?," asked Willow, swallowing and then wincing.  
  
"No. How do you feel? A little sleepy?"  
  
"Not sleepy. More...weak. I'm just so weak. I can barely hold my head up...or keep my eyes open," sighed Willow. "How do you feel?"  
  
"Wow, um...better doesn't begin to...I don't know how to explain it. But maybe...okay, remember when I told you how I felt after drinking blood before? How the guilt, the remorse made me sick to my stomach?"  
  
Willow nodded.  
  
"Well, it wasn't like that this time. It was just so, so..."  
  
"Intense?," offered Willow.  
  
"I was going to go with...intimate," answered Faith, watching for Willow's reaction.  
  
Willow smiled.  
  
"Oh yeah," nodded Willow, closing her eyes again. "I had no idea it would be so, so..."  
  
"I know. Neither did I," smiled Faith.  
  
"Not bad for your first time," smiled Willow.  
  
"Who said it was my first time?"  
  
Willow's eyes sprung open.  
  
"But I thought you said..."  
  
And then she noticed that Faith had a big grin on her face.  
  
"Oh! Um...I had no idea," smiled Willow.  
  
"Are you cold? Let's get your sweater back on," said Faith.  
  
"No. I'm fine. I just want to rest for a little while," said Willow, pressing her cheek against Faith's arm and closing her eyes. Faith settled her back against the wall behind them and hesitantly nudged Willow's head against her chest.  
  
"Faith?," whispered Willow.  
  
"Yeah?," smiled Faith, raising her hand so that it brushed along Willow's warm cheek.  
  
"Maybe we can keep this our little secret."  
  
"Sure. No one's going to notice the two holes in the side of your neck," commented Faith sarcastically.  
  
"Well, no, I meant...never mind. And there is that turtleneck," smiled Willow.  
  
Faith again hesitated but then ran her fingers through Willow's soft hair.  
  
"I...it will be awkward. Explaining this, I mean," said Willow.  
  
"Let's worry about that later," whispered Faith.  
  
Willow settled herself more comfortably against Faith.  
  
"You know, I can't believe...after all that's happened, that you would let me do this is just so...Willow?"  
  
Willow's breath slowed and became deeper. Faith leaned in, allowing herself a moment to enjoy the faint scent of vanilla in Willow's hair.  
  
"You didn't even expect anything in return. Not really. You just...you just did what was right," whispered Faith. "Sleep, Willow. Sleep."  
  
Faith leaned her head back against the wall and closed her eyes.  
  
"Maybe I was wrong. Maybe...maybe I did take more than I thought," sighed Faith softly.  
  
Faith didn't move. She simply listened to Willow's steady heartbeat and held her to feel Willow's chest rise and fall against her still body with each breath.  
  
Faith opened her eyes.  
  
"Willow! Wake up! Someone's coming," warned Faith.  
  
Willow didn't respond.  
  
"Willow!," said Faith, louder this time.  
  
She eased Willow away from her and left her on her side on the floor. Using the wall for support, Faith staggered to a standing position, still afraid to test her leg with much weight. She hobbled a few steps, getting between Willow and the door, and crouched down into a defensive stance.  
  
Whoever was approaching was now running towards them. Faith glanced around for a weapon but saw nothing within reach. She looked up and glared at the intruder.  
  
"Buffy!"  
  
Buffy stood in the doorway, her mouth open in shock. Faith glanced behind her and realized that Buffy was staring at Willow's neck. She turned to see Tara stumble in behind Buffy, eyes wide with terror. Tara cried out, a wordless gasp full of despair.  
  
Buffy's hands tightened into fists. Faith looked into her eyes and saw pure hatred staring back at her.  
  
END OF PART NINE  
  
  



	10. Part 10

Title: Into The Mirror  
  
PART TEN - Looking For Answers  
  
"B, wait, I can explain! This isn't what it looks like," cringed Faith.  
  
"So, you didn't bite her?," glared Buffy, taking a step towards her.  
  
"Um..."  
  
"Willow!," yelled Tara.  
  
"Tara, she's okay. Her heartbeat is real strong," said Faith.  
  
Xander, Anya and Giles appeared in the doorway behind Buffy, all just realizing what must've happened.  
  
"That's all I needed to hear. I've been wanting to do this for a long time," smiled Buffy.  
  
"Buffy, please, listen to me!," shouted Faith.  
  
Buffy's first punch spun Faith's head but she stayed on her feet. Noticing the bloodstain's on her shirt, Buffy drove her fist into the wound, doubling Faith over and driving her back against the wall. She landed several more vicious blows to Faith's face and head but Faith made no attempt to raise her arms to block the attack.  
  
"Come on, bitch! Defend yourself! You're taking all the fun out of this!," yelled Buffy.  
  
Buffy saw that Faith was favoring her right leg. She spun and kicked that knee and as Faith collapsed Buffy got in another blow to her ribs.  
  
"Well, not all the fun!," smiled Buffy.  
  
Holding her up against the wall with one hand, Buffy repeatedly smashed her fist into Faith's face. Faith still made no attempt to fight back but by now she was only standing because Buffy held her up. With every hit an image flashed in Buffy's mind, a picture of a loved one, each memory tainted by Faith. Angel with an arrow protruding from his chest, Xander's face after she had explained to him that having sex with Faith had meant nothing to her, Willow with a knife to her throat, her mother...   
  
"Buffy!," yelled Giles.  
  
Buffy ignored him and let Faith go, kneeing her in the ribs as she fell. She pulled Faith onto her back, straddled her and gripped her hair in both hands, pounding her head against the floor.  
  
"Buffy, no!"  
  
Willow's cry wasn't much louder than a whisper, but Buffy stopped and looked back at her. Tara had helped her up into a sitting position.  
  
"Willow, she fed off of you!"  
  
"It wasn't her fault! She didn't want to. I made her do it!"  
  
Buffy's mouth dropped open. She looked down at Faith and Faith closed her eyes, her face contorted with pain but still in human form. Buffy stood and stepped away, once again staring at Willow and now even more confused. Faith rolled over and pushed herself up on her hands and knees, a long string of bloody ooze drooling from her mouth.  
  
"Faith! Faith, are you alright?," asked Willow, crawling to her side and putting an arm around her waist.  
  
"Leave...leave me alone," whispered Faith, spitting blood on the floor. Her lips were swollen and she could hardly form her words.  
  
"You, you made her...bite you? I don't understand," said Buffy in disgust.  
  
Willow glanced at Buffy but ignored her. Faith tried to crawl away but stumbled.  
  
"Faith, what are you doing?," asked Willow, holding her so that she wouldn't fall.  
  
"Outside. I'm...going outside. Leave me alone."  
  
"What? No, you can't! It'll be light out soon," warned Willow.  
  
"You think I don't know that?," snapped Faith. She pulled away from Willow and tried to crawl, dragging her right leg behind her, but slipped and fell.  
  
"Oh no you don't! Not after what I did for you!," yelled Willow.  
  
"Willow..."  
  
"You owe me, bitch. You ain't going anywhere!," said Willow.  
  
Faith rolled into a sitting position, gritting her teeth against the pain. She looked back at Willow, tears in her eyes.  
  
"Willow...please. That's not fair," begged Faith.  
  
"Wait. She called you Willow...and said please!," said Buffy, looking to Giles and Xander for answers. Xander just shrugged.  
  
"You think Buffy just kicked your ass? You don't want to mess with me," said Willow, her jaw clenched in anger.  
  
Faith looked at Willow, closed her eyes, covered her face with her hands and began to sob uncontrollably.   
  
"Faith, you...you should..."  
  
"Willow?," said Tara, rushing to her side and holding her up in a sitting position. Faith lowered her hands and stared at them, her body shaking.  
  
"Sorry. Just, just a little light headed," mumbled Willow.  
  
"Here, let's...let's get her sweater on," sniffed Faith, grabbing her turtleneck off the floor. "Hold her arms up."  
  
For a moment Tara just stared at Faith, but then she lifted one of Willow's arms and helped Faith slide the sweater on. Faith tried to lift her other arm but got dizzy and fell back against the wall.  
  
"It's okay, Faith. I got it," said Tara softly.  
  
"Tara, I'm okay. Really, I...," began Willow.  
  
Willow's head slumped down and Tara caught her, holding her close.  
  
"I'm sorry. Tara, I...I..."  
  
Faith shook her head and looked away.  
  
"Faith, I need you to be honest with me. Her life might depend on it. Do we have to get her to a hospital?," asked Tara.  
  
"No," said Faith, shaking her head. "No, I didn't take that much. Her heartbeat is strong. We, we need to get her under some blankets...get some fluids into her," said Faith, holding her ribs. She looked down at her hand. There was blood on it.  
  
"Giles?," asked Buffy, not believing Faith.  
  
"I think she'll be okay," nodded Giles. "I'd be more worried if she hadn't regained consciousness."  
  
"Tara, let's get her in back, make her comfortable," said Buffy.  
  
"She can't walk," said Tara.  
  
"Just, just take one arm. I'll help," said Faith, trying to stand up. She felt a strong hand pushing her down.  
  
"No," said Buffy.  
  
Faith winced and sat back down, gripping her side with both hands.  
  
"Faith, you're hurt. You can hardly stand, let alone walk," explained Buffy.  
  
Faith just stared at the floor. Buffy knelt down and gently lifted Willow in her arms.  
  
"Oh my God! Buffy! Is Dawn okay?," asked Faith.  
  
Buffy stopped and answered without looking at her.  
  
"Yeah. I took her home."  
  
Faith leaned back and closed her eyes.  
  
"They tried to kill her, you know. They shot at Willow. Twice," said Faith, not looking up.  
  
Buffy glanced at Willow's face, then looked back at Faith.  
  
"They'll pay for that," said Buffy. "Trust me."  
  
Buffy walked away and Giles ran ahead of her to get some blankets. Anya went behind the counter and started lighting candles. Tara and Xander looked at one another, then looked at Faith.   
  
The room was quiet. Faith looked up...and saw that Tara was holding her hand out, offering to help her up. Faith saw no emotion on Tara's face. No anger, no sadness, no fear.  
  
"No. Go be with her," said Faith, shaking her head. "She needs you."  
  
"It'll be light soon. You're safe here, but you won't be comfortable," said Tara, still holding her hand out.  
  
One of Faith's eyes was swelling up and she had to tilt her head to meet Tara's gaze.  
  
"I'm sorry," whispered Faith.  
  
"I know," nodded Tara. She lowered her hand and looked at Xander.  
  
"Go," said Xander.  
  
Tara quickly walked away.  
  
"Anya, put a few of those candles in the basement so that we can see. I'm going to help Faith get down there."  
  
"Okay," answered Anya.  
  
Xander knelt down next to Faith.  
  
"She wouldn't leave. I told her to leave. It was the only way I could protect her. I, I only wanted to do the right thing," sniffed Faith, tears running down her cheeks. She wouldn't look at Xander.  
  
"Can you walk?," asked Xander.  
  
"I don't...I'm not sure," replied Faith.  
  
"Well, let's do this the easy way then," said Xander, slipping one arm under her knees and the other under her shoulders. Faith moaned as he rose to his feet.  
  
"You gonna be okay?," asked Xander softly.  
  
Faith buried her face into his chest and cried harder.   
  
*****  
  
Dawn made her way down the stairs, a backpack slung over her shoulder and balancing a cup in her hand as she walked. Faith glanced at her and then looked away. Dawn knelt down beside her, put the cup on the floor and slipped the backpack off of her shoulder. She tried not to flinch when she saw how badly swollen and bruised Faith's face was.  
  
"Morning. I was hoping you'd be asleep so that I wouldn't bother you."  
  
Faith, on her back, just stared at the ceiling.  
  
"Are you so mad at me that you're not even going to yell at me?," asked Dawn.  
  
"I'm not mad. Not anymore. But you did scare the hell out of me. Besides, who am I to judge you?"  
  
"Wish you'd just yell at me and get it over with," pouted Dawn.  
  
Faith ignored her.  
  
"Faith, Tara and Willow told everyone what happened last night. No one's judging you."  
  
Faith continued to stare at the ceiling.  
  
"How's Willow?," asked Faith softly.  
  
"Good. She's sleeping it off. Told me to tell you not to worry."  
  
Faith smiled.  
  
"I brought you a change of clothes and something to eat. Giles himself drove me to the butcher shop," smiled Dawn. "You should drink it. It'll help you heal."  
  
Faith nodded but still didn't look at Dawn. She painfully pushed herself up into a sitting position, one hand holding her side. Dawn reached over and put her arm around her to help. It took close to a minute before Faith could open her eyes.  
  
"You're going to need some help. Just, just raise your arms. I brought a top that buttons up the front. Thought it might be easier for you to get into it this morning," encouraged Dawn.  
  
Faith allowed herself a smile but hid it from Dawn.  
  
"Can you do that?," asked Dawn.  
  
"Yeah. I think so."  
  
Faith slowly raised her arms and Dawn gently pulled the blood stained top over her head, tenderly tugging at it where it stuck to Faith's back. She tossed it aside and dug out a clean blouse from the backpack. Faith looked at her warily.  
  
"I know, not really your style. I was thinking function over form here, okay?," sighed Dawn.  
  
"Thanks," said Faith, letting Dawn help her get her arms into the blouse. She brushed Dawn's hand away and buttoned the buttons herself. Dawn reached into the backpack again and held up a brush. Faith smiled.  
  
"I look that bad, huh?," asked Faith.  
  
"No. It's just, well, you're mirror challenged now."  
  
Faith laughed and Dawn sat behind her, brushing her hair.  
  
"When you see Xander, tell him I said thanks for getting me settled here last night," said Faith. "I couldn't have done it alone."  
  
"Sure," nodded Dawn. "Oh, I almost forgot! I brought you a present."  
  
Dawn dug through her backpack and pulled out a book, handing it to Faith.  
  
"The Velveteen Rabbit? Isn't that a kid's book?," asked Faith, one eyebrow raised.  
  
"Well, yeah, but...it's just that..."  
  
"Spit it out, girl," smiled Faith.  
  
"You said something the other night to Buffy. About not being real. And this is a story about a toy bunny that wants to become real," said Dawn.  
  
"I think you might've been reading a bit much into that comment," said Faith, flipping through the book.  
  
"Just promise you'll read it, okay? Buffy gave it to me because...well, she...it doesn't really matter why she did. Just promise me you'll read it," said Dawn.  
  
"Okay, I promise," sighed Faith reluctantly. "Could you do me a favor?"  
  
"You have to ask?," replied Dawn.  
  
"Take one of these blankets and cover that full length mirror over there."  
  
"Um...sure," shrugged Dawn. She grabbed a blanket and walked over to the mirror, then turned back to Faith.  
  
"Faith, why does this mirror bother you? When you look into it there's nothing to see."  
  
Faith looked down and hesitated before answering Dawn without looking at her.  
  
"Wrong. When I look into the mirror I see nothing. There's a difference."  
  
Dawn frowned but threw the blanket over the mirror, securing it on the top corners. She walked back and again knelt beside Faith.  
  
"Faith, you're not nothing. You know that."  
  
Faith lay down on her side with her back to Dawn.  
  
"I need to get some sleep. Thanks for...for thinking of me," said Faith.  
  
Dawn sighed, then picked up the other blanket and covered Faith, tucking it under her shoulder. She leaned forward, hesitating, but then kissed Faith on her forehead and quickly stood, bounding up the stairs. Faith waited until she was sure that Dawn was gone then rolled over and lifted the cup to her lips. She stared at it for a moment, closed her eyes and drank.   
  
*****  
  
Buffy opened the door and stepped inside, hesitating for a moment. She crept down the stairs, careful not to spill the contents of the cup she carried and noticed that Faith was already sitting up and looking at her. She turned and closed the door behind her, then made her way over to Faith, kneeling down next to her. Faith never once took her eyes off of Buffy.  
  
"Hey. Just wanted to see how you were doing. Although I thought you'd be asleep," shrugged Buffy.  
  
"You mean you were hoping I was asleep?," asked Faith.  
  
Buffy took a deep breath.  
  
"Here, I brought you a snack," said Buffy, holding a cup out towards her. "It'll help with the healing."  
  
"Thanks. You can just put it down for now," frowned Faith.  
  
"Sure," agreed Buffy, putting the cup down on the floor between them.  
  
"How's Willow?," asked Faith.  
  
"Sleeping. Giles says she'll be fine."  
  
"Good. That's...good," nodded Faith.  
  
"Are you far enough away from the window? I know it's covered, but I could move this mat for you," offered Buffy.  
  
"I'm...fine. Just, just having a little trouble falling asleep, that's all," shrugged Faith.  
  
Neither girl talked for a moment. Faith decided to speak first, before the silence got uncomfortable.  
  
"B, I'm really sorry for what happened."  
  
"No, Faith, it's okay."  
  
"But..."  
  
"Listen, Tara told me what you did. How you saved her life. In fact, I knew that even before I...before I found you. With Willow, I mean. But when I saw her, with her neck all..."  
  
"Buffy, they tried to kill them both. Because of me."  
  
"I know."  
  
"Willow was scared. Those Council guys didn't know how hurt I was or they would've just burst into the place right then and there. Maybe they were leery of her, knowing she was a witch, but they weren't afraid of her. It was me they were worried about."  
  
"So you figured they'd came after you after the sun rose," said Buffy.  
  
"Right. And when Tara didn't come back...we thought they had her. Willow even thought she might be dead. And she knew that she couldn't protect us, but..."  
  
"She knew you could. At least if you were at full strength," finished Buffy.  
  
Faith nodded.  
  
"If only I had got back here sooner. By the time Tara got to Restfield we had taken Dawn home. And Xander didn't check his phone messages until later. Poor Will."  
  
"B, if I thought her life was in danger, even for a moment, I never would've..."  
  
"But that's just it! Faith, I've seen Angel feed. You lose control. The demon takes over and...you just can't stop," winced Buffy.  
  
"You're right. It was stupid. And I am sorry. Maybe...maybe even more for what I put Tara through than what I did to Willow. That look on her face, when she...I was a fool," said Faith, staring at her hands.  
  
"No, Faith. Your heart was in the right place. I'm the one who needs to say I'm sorry. The beating that I gave you...it...it had nothing to do with what you did to Willow," sighed Buffy.  
  
"Don't you think I know that?," smiled Faith. She caught Buffy's eye and made sure Buffy was looking at her.  
  
"Why do you think I let it happen?"  
  
Buffy's mouth dropped slightly. Faith looked away before Buffy did. When she looked back at Buffy she saw the other Slayer holding the cup of blood out to her.  
  
"You should drink," said Buffy softly.  
  
Faith took the cup and immediately wrinkled her eyebrows.  
  
"Is there something wrong? Did it go bad? Or should I have warmed it up?," asked Buffy.  
  
"This, this is human blood," said Faith, surprised.  
  
"Yeah. Angel told me once that it helps with the healing faster than, say, pig's blood."  
  
"Makes sense. And this may sound stupid, having ripped into your best friend's neck, but...it's just...when I first...I told Angel to promise me he would never give me human blood. I didn't want to...well, develop a taste for it. Guess that bridge has been burned," sighed Faith, closing her eyes.  
  
"Want me to get something else?," asked Buffy, standing up.  
  
"No. But I'll wait until you leave. I'm still real uncomfortable drinking blood in front of people," explained Faith.  
  
"That'll pass. Hey, even Cordelia gets blood for Angel. Know how long it took for me to get used to that visual?," smiled Buffy.  
  
"Not quite the same thing from my end," frowned Faith.  
  
"Get some sleep," said Buffy as she turned and walked towards the stairs.  
  
"B?"  
  
Buffy turned around to look back at Faith.  
  
"Did Angel call?"  
  
"No. You want me to call him?"  
  
"No. I'm...it's not important. Thank you," smiled Faith sadly.  
  
"Faith, get some sleep. I'm going to need your help tonight."  
  
Faith gazed at Buffy, clearly not understanding.  
  
"We're going hunting. Need some motivation? Dawn could've been killed last night. Close your eyes and see that," explained Buffy.  
  
"I'll be ready," nodded Faith.  
  
"Thought so," replied Buffy, walking up the stairs.  
  
She closed the door but kept it open a crack, watching Faith as she raised the cup up to her lips with both hands. She paused, inhaling the scent from the blood. Buffy expected her face to transform at any moment...but it didn't. Faith put the cup on the floor beside her, her lips tightly pressed together and her eyes shut. Faith covered her eyes with her hands and until Buffy heard her sobs she didn't realize that Faith was crying. Crying so hard that it seemed that she was in pain.  
  
Buffy softly pushed the door shut and leaned against the wall behind her, staring up at the ceiling. She took a deep breath and slowly shook her head.  
  
"Buffy?"  
  
"Giles!"  
  
"Is Faith alright?," asked Giles, reaching for the doorknob.  
  
Buffy quickly grabbed his wrist.  
  
"Fine. She's...sleeping. Just got to sleep, in fact. So...we should let her sleep," said Buffy, releasing his arm.  
  
"Okay," nodded Giles, giving her a strange look.   
  
As soon as the front door chime announced that a customer had entered the shop they heard Anya call out.  
  
"Giles! Can you come up here? Now?"  
  
Buffy gave Giles a concerned look and they both walked out front. Standing in the doorway was Quentin Travers. Next to him was a young teenaged boy. Anya was behind the counter with Dawn. Xander stood between Anya and Travers, arms crossed and looking none too pleased.  
  
"Rupert! Nice to see you again. Buffy," nodded Travers with a smile. He turned and viewed the missing window behind him. The broken glass had already been swept up.  
  
"I thought we had a deal. The Council would leave me alone unless I contacted you," reminded Buffy.  
  
"Ah, but I'm not here on official Council business. In fact, I dare say that they would be quite upset with me if they knew I was here. Oh, where are my manners? Allow me to introduce you to my nephew, Patrick," said Travers, half nodding to the boy standing next to him.  
  
"Hello," offered Patrick meekly.  
  
Buffy glanced at the boy, turned to face Travers again but then looked back at the boy, giving him a puzzled look.  
  
"Thinking of retiring? He's a little young to be your replacement," said Buffy, not taking her eyes off of the boy.  
  
"True. But my retirement is years away and he's got a lot to learn. Rupert, why don't you gather together your enclave? I have a lot to discuss and repeating oneself is highly inefficient," smiled Travers.  
  
"Of course," answered Giles warily. "Please, have a seat at the table over there."  
  
"Oh, and if she's up to it, have Faith join us, would you?," added Travers.  
  
"Faith needs to rest right now. As you well know, she had a rough night last night," glared Buffy.  
  
"I had nothing to do with that. You can ask Willow herself. I warned them to leave," replied Travers.  
  
"How...convenient," sneered Buffy. "And we should, of course, trust you completely."  
  
"It's okay, Buffy. Let's hear what he has to say," said Faith.  
  
Buffy turned to see Faith limping slowly towards them, very unsteady on her feet. She stopped and supported herself by leaning against the wall.  
  
"Faith, you shouldn't be up," said Buffy.  
  
Faith ignored her and continued to stare at Travers.  
  
"Faith. How are you feeling?," asked Travers.  
  
"I'll ask the questions, if you don't mind. Why don't we start with...what fer you wanna burry me in da cold, cold ground?," glared Faith.  
  
"How...eloquent. Same old Faith," smiled Travers.  
  
"Accept no substitute," quipped Buffy, smiling.  
  
"Yes. Oh, Faith, this is my nephew Patrick," said Travers.  
  
Faith turned and looked at the boy.  
  
"Nice to meet you," said Patrick.  
  
Faith glanced at Buffy, then considered the boy again.  
  
"Tell ya what, Huck Finn. I know that ain't no slingshot you got in your back pocket. You try to pull that cross out and I'll snap your uncle's neck. Understood?," threatened Faith.  
  
Patrick swallowed and then nodded in agreement without even looking at Travers.  
  
"I didn't mean to...it's just that I always carry one with me. It wasn't because of you," stammered Patrick. "You knew it was there? Without having to see it?"  
  
"What do you think?," asked Faith, pointing to the red cross burn on her forehead.  
  
"Sorry," said Patrick, looking down.  
  
"Let's sit down, shall we?," offered Giles.  
  
"I'll stand here. I'm about as close to the windows as I care to get, thank you very much," said Faith.  
  
Everyone took a seat around the table. Dawn dragged a chair over for Faith to sit down on and looked up nervously at her.  
  
"Don't be kissing up to me, little one," said Faith, trying not to smile and to appear menacing at the same time.  
  
Dawn pouted. Faith reached over and messed her hair with her hand.  
  
"Faith! You know I hate that," protested Dawn.  
  
"Yeah. I remember," smiled Faith. "You try another stunt like last night and I'll cut your hair off. You got that?"  
  
"Already said I was sorry," frowned Dawn as she walked back to the table. Still, she was grateful that Faith had somewhat yelled at her. Buffy had to turn away so that her sister wouldn't see her smile.  
  
Faith looked back down the hall. Tara was leading Willow along on one arm from the exercise room. She was pale and moved slowly but still smiled for Faith.  
  
"Hey. We heard voices. You weren't going to invite me to the party?," grinned Willow.  
  
"Willow, should you be up?," asked Faith.  
  
"Look who's talkin'," replied Willow with an indignant air.  
  
Travers gave Giles a confused and concerned look as Tara eased Willow into a chair at the table. He stared at the bandage on her neck.  
  
"Comes with the job," shrugged Willow, catching his look.  
  
"Why don't you get started?," suggested Giles.  
  
"Very well. First, I apologize for what took place last night. I was not informed of any plan of action and had nothing to do with it," said Travers.  
  
"Pfft!," replied Buffy.  
  
Travers ignored the remark and continued.  
  
"When we first heard that Faith had escaped from prison, a Recovery Team was immediately dispatched. We didn't think the local law enforcement officials could handle the situation, especially when one recalls the events after she awoke from her coma."  
  
"Recovery? As in you wanted to recover a body," said Faith.  
  
"Perhaps," agreed Travers. "And then I was informed that the new Slayer had been called. Imagine my shock when I called Wesley to inform him and heard your voice in the background."  
  
Faith returned his stare with a smile.  
  
"As you well could imagine, the Council was terrified at the thought of having to face a vampire with a Slayer's strength and skills. It was decided that you must die."  
  
"You said you weren't here representing the Council. This all sounds very official to me," said Buffy.  
  
"It is...but it isn't. As Mr. Giles could inform you, politics and power play a major role on the Council, as they do in any form of government. For a few years now there has been an internal struggle for control within the Council. It is becoming obvious to all involved which parties are aligned with whom. The situation has reached a boiling point," said Travers.  
  
"Anyone else bored yet?," asked Faith. Travers ignored her and continued.  
  
"One of the major issues has been how to deal with the Slayers. Yes, I mean both Buffy and Faith. There are those who disagree with our arrangement over the Glory issue, Buffy. But those same people fear that only you can deal with her, so they wait."  
  
"And if Glory hadn't come along?," asked Buffy.  
  
Travers hesitated, glancing at Giles. Buffy suddenly wondered how much Giles knew and how much he had not been told. Tara nudged Willow under the table and nodded towards Dawn. Dawn was staring at Patrick but every time he looked in her direction she looked away, only to glance back when she thought he wasn't looking. Willow and Tara exchanged smiles.  
  
"The old school of thought is that the Slayer must be subservient to the Council. It was assumed that the Slayer would eventually be killed as, alas, all are. But patience is not to be found in people like these. Since she would not take orders, sending her on ever more dangerous missions was not an option. Perhaps sending more difficult foes her way would work," said Travers.  
  
"Whoa, first of all, stop referring to me in the third person. This she is me, sitting right here. Are you telling me the Council wanted me dead so that they could control the next Slayer?," demanded Buffy.  
  
"How do you think Dracula found out where you were?," answered Travers flatly.  
  
Buffy glanced at Giles and was glad to see that he was as shocked at hearing this as she was. In fact, he was getting angry.  
  
"Let me repeat that there are two factions fighting for control of the Council. At no time did I encourage these actions. In point of fact, I made it very clear that I was most against it. It may also surprise you to know that I had nothing to do with how Faith was dealt with when Wesley was her Watcher, after she killed the Mayor's assistant."  
  
Only Dawn dared look at Faith. But Faith closed her eyes.  
  
"Faith is the other issue dividing the Council at the moment. Initially I did agree with the others that she must die. That was before I realized that there was the possibility that she still retained her soul. I should've understood earlier why Angel would protect you. That is as much my fault as it is his. I haven't given you much reason to trust me, have I?," asked Travers.  
  
"I'm not sure you have yet done so," stated Giles.  
  
"Perhaps," agreed Travers.  
  
"So there's still a faction on the Council that wants Faith dead, soul or no soul," said Buffy.  
  
"Yes. Just as before, they want control of the Slayer. They feel Faith is beyond...reach," said Travers gently.   
  
"So last night..."  
  
"Like I told you, I was unaware of that. They used a recording of my voice to lure Buffy away. However, I believe a truce has been called so that the situation can be studied further."  
  
"They want my opinion?," asked Buffy.  
  
"No. They just don't want to upset you while Glory is still around. Once she's dealt with, they won't care what you say. They will kill Faith," said Dawn, staring at Travers.  
  
"Your sister is wise beyond her years. That is a distinct possibility," said Travers.  
  
"Unless you control the Council," said Buffy.  
  
"Yes," admitted Travers. "If you can believe me."  
  
"Not sure if I'll ever trust anyone from England again, with the exception of the gentleman sitting next to me here," said Buffy, nodding to Giles. He smiled awkwardly. "Here's my two cents. Faith lives. Or I walk."  
  
"I agree. Completely," replied Travers immediately. Buffy opened her eyes wide.  
  
"So that's it? You're just going to head back to the mother country all peaceable like?," asked Buffy.  
  
"As soon as I make sure this Recovery Team has left, yes. This power struggle is far from over. A phone call or two by both you and Mr. Giles to the Council would be most helpful to my cause. When I return to the mother country," smiled Travers, "the Council will convene and work out our differences in a civilized manner."  
  
"You still want me?," asked Faith. "Even now?"  
  
Travers slowly turned his head towards Faith.  
  
"Yes. Oh, in my opinion you still need to be rehabilitated and a Watcher assigned to you. But I don't believe we need control of our Slayers. You know what you are, what you have to do. No training can replace the experience you both have. Besides, having three Slayers fight for our side is better than just two, wouldn't you agree? Guess the Council will just have to trust you," smiled Travers.  
  
"I'll get back to you on that. Soon," smiled Faith. She used the chair to help her stand, wincing as she did.  
  
"Sorry, folks, it's past my bedtime," announced Faith.  
  
Dawn stood up and ran over to help Faith, offering her arm for support. Faith hesitated but then leaned on her.  
  
"Faith, what he said about the Mayor's assistant...he didn't have to bring that up. We know it was an accident," whispered Dawn.  
  
Faith stopped walking and faced Dawn.  
  
"What about my next victim? That was simple cold blooded murder. Don't see anyone mentioning that!"  
  
Dawn stared at her, letting go of her arm.  
  
"You and Buffy fight a lot. It's what sisters do. But she loves you and always, always only wanted to protect you, Dawnie. A lot of the stuff she said about me was true. Hell, most of it was. Remember that."  
  
Faith began to walk away.  
  
"But...but you would never hurt me, right?," asked Dawn.  
  
"Didn't I? With all that I did, to Buffy...to your mom?"  
  
Faith didn't wait for an answer. Dawn's shoulders slumped as she watched her go.  
  
"And what if you don't gain control of the Council?," asked Buffy.  
  
"It's in your best interest that I do, isn't it?," replied Travers.  
  
*****  
  
"You stupid git, I don't give a toss what Travers has to say! We don't take orders from him," yelled Collins.  
  
"But the Council..."  
  
"Smithy, you never got their message to me. Got that? Far as I'm concerned, we follow our original orders. Faith must die," glared Collins.  
  
Smith shook her head, visibly upset. Weatherby's smile broke into laughter.  
  
END OF PART TEN   
  
  
  



	11. Part 11

Title: Into The Mirror  
  
PART ELEVEN - You Got Some 'Splainin' To Do, Lucy  
  
Faith opened her eyes and sat up. It was a little easier and less painful than before. Someone was coming down the stairs and she already knew who it was. Willow stepped carefully, trying not to spill the contents of the cup she was carrying. She glanced up and saw that Faith was watching her.  
  
"Hey," smiled Willow. "Thought you might be hungry. Oh, um, don't worry. It's not mine," she added in a whisper.  
  
"Sure, serve the best first and then bring out the cheap stuff after I'm drunk with...Willow, shouldn't you be resting?"  
  
Faith took the cup as it was handed to her and set it down on the floor.  
  
"I'm okay. And that's the other reason I came down. I just wanted to show you. That I was okay, I mean. I didn't wake you, did I?," cringed Willow.  
  
"No. I've been dozing on and off. Sit down," said Faith.  
  
Willow sat on the end of the mat away from Faith and drew her legs up under herself.  
  
"I've been thinking about what you did for me. And I...I guess I just can't believe you would risk...what you did. For me," said Faith.  
  
"Risk? Faith, you didn't take that much. I mean, sure, I was scared, but I didn't think my life was in danger. Well, not in too much danger. Was it? In danger, I mean."  
  
"Yes. No. That's not what...never mind," sighed Faith, looking away.  
  
Willow reached out and touched Faith's hand. Faith jumped as if she had just received an electric shock.  
  
"I trusted you. Maybe you're just not used to that," smiled Willow.  
  
Faith wanted to scream, to let Willow know it was so much more than that.  
  
"Maybe," shrugged Faith.  
  
"Is there something you want to tell me?," asked Willow, lowering her hand.  
  
"Um...it's just...you have someone special in your life right now. Why would you...I just..."  
  
"Faith, Tara and I are fine. We trust one another. Completely. She knows I would never do anything to hurt her."  
  
"Yeah. You're lucky," nodded Faith.  
  
"What? You trying to tell me you've never been in love?," asked Willow, tilting her head in disbelief.  
  
"You know my rep. Use 'em and lose 'em and move on," laughed Faith. But it was a hollow laugh.  
  
"You didn't answer my question," persisted Willow.  
  
"Oh, I don't know. Maybe, but...," said Faith, looking away. She seemed almost...embarrassed.  
  
"But?," repeated Willow, leading Faith on.  
  
"It's complicated," answered Faith. Willow opened her eyes a little wider but didn't say anything.  
  
"Well, in the first place, I'm not exactly sure what it feels like to...what's that look for?," inquired Faith.  
  
"Look? There's no look. Same old Willow face. See? I'm just...surprised that someone as good looking as you...never having been in love? It doesn't seem possible," smiled Willow.  
  
"But I didn't say that I was never in love," replied Faith.  
  
"Oh. But there's that but again. And that's because...this person didn't know how you felt?," asked Willow knowingly.  
  
Faith sighed but nodded.  
  
"Hey, been there, done that," said Willow. "The old unrequited love."  
  
"You...you think I'm good looking?," asked Faith, not making eye contact but glancing up to see Willow's reaction.  
  
Willow smiled but didn't answer.  
  
"Faith, you're a Slayer. You face...well, you know what you face. But you didn't have the courage to tell this person how you felt?," asked Willow, shaking her head.  
  
"There is...was...another person already involved with...this person. Like I said, it's complicated."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Newsflash. I'm not really good with relationships. I was such a loser magnet. First there was Ronnie, king of the deadbeats, and then klepto Steve and then Kenny. He was a drummer. Enough said. I learned early on that you just can't trust guys," said Faith, shaking her head.  
  
"I'm on board with that," winked Willow.  
  
Faith smiled.  
  
"Maybe it's a Slayer thingy. Um, I mean, well, look at the choices Buffy has made. First Angel, and again, enough said. And let's not forget Parker! Oh, he was such the typical male! Don't get me started with him. You probably don't know about him. She even scared poor Scott Hope away. Say what you want about him, he was nice. And then even Riley left, and he was so right for her. You Slayers don't choose the easy path, do ya?"  
  
Faith looked away from Willow.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry. That came out a little harsh," winced Willow. "I didn't mean..."  
  
"No, you're right. We don't, it seems. It's just that, well, I was thinking about Riley before you got here," said Faith, wrinkling her nose.  
  
"Really?"  
  
Faith looked at Willow and shook her head.  
  
"No, this is stuff I haven't told anyone. I shouldn't...should I?," asked Faith with a mischievous grin.  
  
Willow nodded eagerly. Faith rolled her eyes.  
  
"You have to tell me now!," glared Willow.  
  
"This stays between us. You don't even tell Tara, okay?," said Faith, wagging a finger at Willow.  
  
Willow took a deep breath. It was obvious she wasn't happy with not telling Tara.  
  
"Okay, enough with the third degree already! You can tell her, but that's it," warned Faith. "No one else."  
  
Willow smiled and nodded.  
  
"When I was in her body," began Faith slowly, watching Willow intently for her reaction, "Riley and I, we, uh...well, you know."  
  
"Yeah," nodded Willow. "Everyone does. Except Dawn. It was bad, for a while. But they worked it out."  
  
"Oh. Anyway, you were right about what you said. Riley was so right for her. I had never...it had always just been physical, you know? But this was just so incredibly, um, intimate. It...it frightened me. Here he was, giving of himself, thinking of her first. I, I couldn't handle it. No one had ever made me feel like that before. Ever. And then when he told her that he loved her, wow, I..."  
  
Willow sat up straight, biting her lower lip.  
  
"What?"  
  
Willow looked at Faith but looked away.  
  
"Willow, come on now. What did I say wrong?," asked Faith firmly.  
  
"That must've been the first time that Riley told Buffy that he loved her. And she never even heard it. She doesn't know," sighed Willow.  
  
Faith closed her eyes and covered her mouth with her hand. Then she reached out and held Willow's hand in her own.  
  
"And she never will know that. Promise?," asked Faith.  
  
"I promise!," agreed Willow eagerly.  
  
"Well, enough of that. Not sure why I even brought it up. Willow, you should go. We both need our rest."  
  
"Yeah. I am beat," agreed Willow.  
  
She stood up and swayed unsteadily on her feet.  
  
"Whoa."  
  
Faith jumped up, supporting Willow with an arm around her waist.  
  
"You okay?," asked Faith.  
  
"Just a little light headed. I must've stood up too quickly."  
  
"Sit down. You're overdoing it," said Faith.  
  
Willow nodded and let Faith ease her down onto the mat.  
  
"I'll go get Tara," said Faith.  
  
"No! I don't want her to worry. I'll be alright in a minute."  
  
Faith wrapped her blanket around Willow and she didn't object.  
  
"Sorry I couldn't warm the blanket up for you," laughed Faith.  
  
Willow smiled.  
  
"Want to lie down?," asked Faith.  
  
"No. No, just sit with me for a minute or two."  
  
"Sure," agreed Faith.  
  
"Faith, can I ask you something?"  
  
"Why not, silly?," smiled Faith.  
  
"You can sense Angel if he's in the same room as you without even looking, right? Because he made you. Just like he can sense Buffy and she knows when he's around. They have a connection. 'Cause he fed off of her."  
  
"Yes, I can sense Angel. But I think it's different between Angel and Buffy. They have a deeper connection. Like I told you before, it's because he loves her," said Faith.  
  
"Faith, can...can you sense me like that?," asked Willow, her voice small.  
  
"Yes. Yes I can. How about you? Can you..."  
  
"I'm not sure. It's, it's probably not the same."  
  
"No. I guess not," shrugged Faith.  
  
"I think I will lie down. Just for a little while," said Willow, easing herself back onto Faith's pillow.  
  
Faith stood.  
  
"I'll get Tara. I really don't want her to worry. About you," added Faith.  
  
Willow nodded in agreement.  
  
"Faith?"  
  
Faith stopped and turned around. Willow wasn't looking at her.  
  
"I know what you feel. I can sense you. Even with my eyes closed, I know. I can't explain it, really, but...but I thought you should know. I feel it," whispered Willow.  
  
"Thanks. For telling me, I mean," said Faith.  
  
Faith turned and walked up the stairs, smiling from ear to ear.  
  
Even before Faith got to the top of the stairs the door opened.  
  
"Tara! I was just coming to get you."  
  
"Why? Is there something wrong?," asked Tara anxiously.  
  
"No. Willow just felt a little light headed and had to lay down. She...I didn't want you to worry," shrugged Faith.  
  
"Thanks," smiled Tara, already making her way down the stairs. Faith followed her and almost bumped into her when she stopped.  
  
"Maybe we should just let her sleep," said Tara softly as she turned to face Faith.  
  
"Honey?," called Willow.  
  
Tara turned her head to Willow and noticed that Faith had quickly faced Willow as well. She looked at Faith with a puzzled look.  
  
"What? I know she meant you! I, I just reacted to hearing her voice," said Faith, looking back at Willow.  
  
Tara walked towards Willow, glancing back once at Faith. Faith stood where she was. Willow started to sit up and Tara quickly knelt down next to her, helping her up.  
  
"I'm not sleeping," said Willow.  
  
"No, but you should be. Why don't you lay back down?," asked Tara.  
  
"I will. But upstairs. Faith needs to sleep too," said Willow.  
  
"Okay. I went back and got some of your things. If you're cold, you could take a hot shower first before your nappy," smiled Tara.  
  
"Sounds good. Help me up. Just be ready to catch me if I fall."  
  
"Always," answered Tara softly, her hand taking Willow's hand.  
  
"I know," whispered Willow, smiling.  
  
Willow stood and Tara held onto her. And didn't let go.  
  
"It's okay, darling. You can let go. I feel okay now," said Willow.  
  
"I know. I just wanted to hold you," said Tara into Willow's neck as they hugged.  
  
Willow looked at Faith and eased herself apart from Tara. She slipped her hand into Tara's and led her towards the stairs.  
  
"Get some sleep," said Willow to Faith.  
  
Faith nodded. The girls went upstairs but Faith didn't move until she heard the door click shut. Then she knelt down on her mat and stared at her pillow. She picked up the pillow and ran her fingers over it, sensing just the hint of vanilla. Tossing it back down on the mat, Faith smiled and reached for the cup of blood. She brought it up to her lips, lingering over the aroma.  
  
Faith put the cup down without drinking and lay down on her pillow, the faintest smile on her lips. She saw the book Dawn had given her and picked it up to read.  
  
*****  
  
"That shower make you feel better?," asked Tara as Willow came out of the bathroom with a white terrycloth robe wrapped around her.  
  
"Much."  
  
"Sit down," said Tara, patting the bed next to her. "It's not big enough for the two of us, but with the two of us you might not get the sleep you need."  
  
Willow sat down and smiled, putting her arm around Tara's waist and her head on her shoulder.  
  
"Tara, I'm sorry I put you through this. You know I..."  
  
"Shh. It's over. Let's not talk about it anymore."  
  
"Okay," agreed Willow.  
  
"Except for the part where you tell me about it," nudged Tara.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"I was just, I don't know...curious. I mean, we fight vampires all the time. So what's it like to have one bite you?," asked Tara.  
  
"Um, well, this was more of a consensual bite, so I don't think it's very typical of your run of the mill rip your throat out attack," said Willow hesitantly.  
  
Tara smiled and waited patiently. Willow swallowed and sat up.  
  
"Okay, uh, let's see. It hurt at first but that passed kinda quickly. It was...intense. In a very unexpected way," frowned Willow.  
  
"Intense? You mean...you mean it f-f-felt good?," asked Tara, wide eyed.  
  
"Um, well...you know, there was pain. I mean, hello, two holes in my neck and all," said Willow, pointing at the bandage on her neck.  
  
"But..."  
  
"Tara," interrupted Willow, taking both of her hands into hers. "They were shooting at me. I, I thought I was going to die. I needed Faith. To protect me, I mean!"  
  
Tara nodded but looked away from Willow. Willow leaned foreword so that Tara had to see her face.  
  
"Faith hadn't done anything like...well, she had no idea what it would be like. I, I think she was more surprised than I was. Thrown, even. Is there a problem here? Do we need to talk about this?," asked Willow softly.  
  
"No. No, of course not. I'm sorry, I'm being silly," smiled Tara.  
  
"Yes, you are," nodded Willow. "What, you think I'm going to run off with Faith or something?"  
  
Tara laughed. Willow raised her hand and gently touched Tara's cheek.  
  
"That's my girl," whispered Willow.  
  
Willow leaned in and kissed Tara, letting her lips linger on hers longer than expected. She broke away and smiled. Tara laughed again.  
  
"I'll be right back. Anya made some lemonade and you need to drink before you go to sleep. And lie down on your stomach. I'll give you a massage when I get back."  
  
Willow relaxed and smiled. Tara playfully undid the belt around Willow's robe.  
  
"I'll go get that lemonade. And when I get back you're going to get the most soothing massage you've ever had," promised Tara.  
  
"Only soothing?," pouted Willow.  
  
"Well, to get the best massage we'd have to lock the door," smiled Tara. She stood and quickly walked away.  
  
"Hurry back," called Willow as she stretched out catlike on her stomach. She closed her eyes and took in a deep cleansing breath. Willow rolled her neck from side to side. It was sore but already felt much better.  
  
The door behind her opened and then clicked shut. Willow listened as the footsteps approached. She heard two glasses clink together as they were placed on the nightstand next to her. The bed on her right side sagged down and she felt familiar fingers brush across her neck. Her robe was eased down, exposing her bare shoulders. With a little encouragement Willow slipped her arms free and the robe was pulled down to the small of her back.   
  
The massage started up near her shoulder blades, fingers kneading flesh in ever expanding circles. Willow softly moaned her appreciation and felt goosebumps rise across her back as lips barely caressed her skin, acknowledging her thank you.  
  
"Wow. Honey, either you've gotten much better at this or I'm really...in need...of ...your loving touch," whispered Willow, another moan escaping her.  
  
She leaned down over Willow and squeezed her lower back, letting her hair brush across Willow's shoulders like a breeze. Willow smiled and opened one eye, watching as her lover's dark hair teased her cheek. Tara's...dark...hair.  
  
Willow sat up and spun around, looking directly into Faith's eyes.  
  
"Faith! What...where's Tara?," asked Willow, trying to keep her voice low.  
  
"She's right outside, talking to Xander," answered Faith, smiling as she glanced down at Willow's naked form. Willow quickly pulled the robe back on, her face blushing.  
  
"She asked if I would bring you your drink," shrugged Faith.  
  
"Oh. It's just...I thought..."  
  
"Sorry. You thought I was Tara. But see, I'm good at this. And, and I didn't think you'd let me...if you knew it was me, I mean. Other than hurting people, it's about the only thing I am good at," said Faith, looking away from Willow.  
  
"No, Faith, that's not true! Why are you being so hard on yourself?"  
  
Faith shrugged but didn't answer.  
  
"It, um...did feel good," laughed Willow, causing Faith to smile.  
  
The sound of thunder echoed in the room.  
  
"Hmm. I didn't even know it was raining," said Willow.  
  
"Just a passing thunderstorm. I'm almost tempted to run outside, but I'm a little uneasy about trying that, even if it is cloudy. It's just that I love storms. It gets so quiet and still...and then there's just this incredible release, so wild and, and you're looking at me as if I'm crazy," smiled Faith, shaking her head.  
  
"No, not at all. It's just a side of yourself that you haven't shown me before," smiled Willow.  
  
Faith considered this and seemed to be encouraged by her words.  
  
"How are you doing?," asked Faith, her voice small.  
  
"Better. How about you?"  
  
"Honestly? I...I can't stop thinking about what happened. To us, I mean," frowned Faith.  
  
"Whoa, wait a minute there. Faith, there is no us," said Willow.  
  
"Oh, I know! I know that there can't be! That's not what...oh, I should go," said Faith, standing up.  
  
"No, wait! Don't go."  
  
Faith turned and faced Willow.  
  
"Faith, we shared something. Something very...unique. But I just don't think of you that way," sighed Willow.  
  
Faith slowly sat down on the edge of the bed.  
  
"I know. I'm not asking you to. It's just...I keep replaying over and over what happened in my mind. There's a part of me that just can't let go," said Faith sadly.  
  
Willow looked away. Faith did too, resting her hands uncomfortably on her knees.  
  
"I know," whispered Willow.  
  
Faith slowly turned to see Willow staring at her, biting her lower lip. Faith leaned forward, her hair falling around her face. She hesitated, pulling her hair back with one hand, running her tongue over her lips. Willow swallowed nervously, her eyes never leaving Faith's mouth. She finally looked up, stunned to see fear in Faith's eyes, an emotion that had nothing to do with this girl. Willow nodded once and Faith eagerly kissed her, gently at first but then more demanding.  
  
Faith pulled away, that look of fear even more evident than before. She made to get up but Willow reached out and grabbed her arm, her robe opening as she did. Making no attempt to cover up, Willow pulled Faith to her and hungrily kissed Faith full on the mouth.  
  
Faith pushed Willow back down onto the bed, her mouth never leaving hers. The robe fell open and Faith cupped a breast with her hand. She pulled away, letting Willow catch her breath. Their eyes met but only for a moment.   
  
"Faith," whispered Willow, her voice full of fear.  
  
"I know," nodded Faith. She ignored Willow's plea and kissed the base of her neck, slowly working down between her breasts and lingering on her stomach. Willow felt Faith's face transform and knew what was about to happen. But she didn't care.  
  
"Oh God," whimpered Willow, glancing at the door behind them.  
  
Willow's knees moved apart and she felt Faith's tongue exploring the sensitive skin high up along her inner thigh. She winced as Faith's fangs gently pushed into her, the pain quickly replaced with an intensifying warmth. With a gasp she closed her eyes and grabbed Faith's head with both hands, pressing the sensation harder against herself.  
  
"Willow?"  
  
Willow's eyes snapped open wide. Tara was looking down at her, smiling.  
  
"Hey, welcome back to the land of the living!," laughed Tara.  
  
Willow looked around, disorientated. She was lying on her stomach on the bed. Alone.  
  
"I'm sorry, I probably should've let you sleep. You were really out of it. I thought you should drink some...hey, what's the matter? Did you have a bad dream?," asked Tara, putting a hand on Willow's shoulder. Willow jumped and Tara pulled her hand away.  
  
"Oh, um, sorry. Yeah...bad dream. Strange...dream," nodded Willow.  
  
Tara stared at Willow, concerned but confused.  
  
"Tara, did, did anyone else come in here while you were gone?"  
  
"No. Why?"  
  
"No reason. I just thought I heard something."  
  
"Probably the thunder. It's raining outside but the storm will pass soon," said Tara.  
  
"Yeah. That must be it," agreed Willow. "It'll pass soon."  
  
Tara blinked, just realizing that she had been staring at Willow.  
  
"You want that massage now?"  
  
"Maybe later. I don't feel like sleeping right now. Think I'll get dressed and see what's going on," smiled Willow weakly.  
  
"Sure. I'll get your clothes," said Tara flatly.  
  
"Thanks," nodded Willow.  
  
Tara walked over to the other side of the room and Willow slowly exhaled, puffing out her cheeks as she did.  
  
*****  
  
"Giles, I don't get it," whispered Buffy. "The monks created my memories of Dawn, but Faith thinks of her as a sister. She's almost as protective of her as I am. Back then, wouldn't it have made more sense if Faith had gone after Dawn, tried to hurt her? It would've been the best way to get to me. No, the perfect way."  
  
"Perhaps it's just that simple," replied Giles, keeping his voice low and putting a hand on Buffy's shoulder.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"The monks wanted to protect Dawn. What better way than to have two Slayers looking out for her?," suggested Giles.  
  
"I guess," shrugged Buffy.  
  
"Buffy, a Slayer's instinct is to protect. But I think it was even more than that. Maybe...maybe the monks did what was best for Faith," smiled Giles.  
  
"Um, again I'll go with huh?," said Buffy.  
  
"Maybe they were just helping her, giving her a way to come back to us. A connection to hold on to," said Giles. He lowered his hand and watched for Buffy's reaction. Buffy took a deep breath but didn't look at him.  
  
On the other side of the room Tara nudged Willow and nodded towards Dawn. She was sitting at the table pretending to read a book but was constantly glancing up at Patrick as he wandered among the bookshelves.   
  
"Methinks our Dawnie is smitten," said Tara. Willow smiled in agreement and walked over to stand behind Dawn.  
  
"You know, if you want someone to think you're reading a book, you really should not hold it upside down," said Willow, leaning over Dawn's shoulder and turning the book around.  
  
"Oh, I, um...it's not what it looks like," stammered Dawn.  
  
Willow sat Dawn next to her.  
  
"Dawnie, why don't you just go talk to him? I'm sure he feels very out of place here."  
  
"And why would I want to talk to him?," asked Dawn  
  
"Maybe because he's your age, he's cute and you haven't taken your eyes off of him since he got here," smiled Willow.  
  
Dawn was going to argue but changed her mind and simply sighed.  
  
"But what would I say?," winced Dawn.  
  
"It doesn't matter. Hey, there was no one more shy than me at your age. I couldn't even talk to a boy. But your sister told me that life was short and that I should seize the moment," said Willow.  
  
"And what happened?," asked Dawn.  
  
"Well, I almost got killed by a vampire. But that's not the point! Now get over there and seize something," said Willow sternly.  
  
Dawn pouted but stood up and walked over to Patrick. Willow turned and winked at Tara. Tara raised her thumb up in approval.  
  
"Hey," offered Dawn awkwardly.  
  
"Hey," smiled Patrick.  
  
"You hungry? There's some donuts left, but I think Giles ate the last jelly," said Dawn.  
  
"No thanks. I'm fine," answered Patrick.  
  
"Oh, right! You're from England so you probably prefer scones."  
  
"Scones? Oh, scones! No, those are too dry for me. And I'll let you in on a little secret. I'm not from England. I'm from New Hampshire," said Patrick.  
  
"Really? That explains why you don't have an accent," smiled Dawn.  
  
Patrick smiled in return.  
  
"So, why do you want to work for the Council?," asked Dawn.  
  
"Didn't have much of a choice, really. I was sorta chosen," shrugged Patrick.  
  
"Your parents don't mind you living overseas with your uncle?," asked Dawn.  
  
"Well, my mother split when I was ten. Don't really have much contact with her anymore. Much as in none. And my father died a couple of months ago," frowned Patrick.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't...oh, I shouldn't have asked!," said Dawn, covering her mouth with one hand.  
  
"No, it's okay. And I'm sorry to hear about your mom. Guess we have something in common, huh?"  
  
"Thanks. Yeah, I guess we do," sighed Dawn.  
  
"You wondered why I'm getting involved with the Council? Well, my father was killed by a vampire," said Patrick.  
  
"Oh! Again, I'm sorry."  
  
Patrick nodded.  
  
"So, what's it like to be the sister of the Slayer?," asked Patrick.  
  
The front door and Xander held it open for Anya.  
  
"We're back! The sun's out again. You're missing a beautiful sunset. Oh, and we brought more donuts," said Anya, holding up a box.  
  
"You people really like donuts," said Patrick, turning to Dawn.  
  
"Still think we should've got some rolls or buns or something," said Xander.  
  
"But I don't like their buns," said Anya.  
  
"You don't?," asked Xander.  
  
"Of course not. You have the best buns in town," smiled Anya. Xander smiled and gave Anya a quick kiss.  
  
"That's not true," whispered Tara to Willow, pinching her bottom and causing Willow to giggle.  
  
Buffy rolled her eyes at Giles.  
  
"Dawn, could you get Faith? Travers wants to have a meeting," said Buffy.  
  
"Okay," nodded Dawn. "Come on, Patrick."  
  
"Um, alright."  
  
Dawn saw that the basement door was slightly open.  
  
"Faith?," called Dawn.  
  
"Dawn, over here," said Patrick, pointing at the back door. It was open.  
  
"That's odd. Giles never leaves that open," said Dawn.  
  
They looked out and saw Faith kneeling at the end of the alley with her hands on the ground.  
  
"What is she doing?," asked Dawn.  
  
Faith leaned forward and pressed her cheek against the pavement.  
  
"You don't know?," asked Patrick.  
  
Dawn just looked at him, her eyes scrunched together.  
  
"Even though the sun has set, the ground is still warm and she's touching it. She misses the sun. Guess she's not too happy with the whole vampire gig," shrugged Patrick.  
  
Dawn collapsed against the door behind her, eyes closed and shoulders drooping.  
  
"Dawn? You okay?," asked Patrick.  
  
"Let's...let's just wait for her in here, before she sees us," said Dawn, shaking her head.  
  
"Sure."  
  
"I'd ask if this could suck anymore than it already does, but why jinx us?," sighed Dawn.   
  
"I'll remember that," said Patrick. "Um, Dawn?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Sunnydale is different than most towns, isn't it?"  
  
"You have no idea," replied Dawn.   
  
END OF PART ELEVEN   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	12. Part 12

Title: Into The Mirror  
  
PART TWELVE - Whistin' Past The Graveyard  
  
Dawn peeked out into the alley and saw Faith stand up.  
  
"Come on," said Dawn, grabbing Patrick's hand and pulling him towards the basement door. Stopping in front of it, she glanced at him and noticed he was looking down at their hands. Dawn quickly let go and smiled awkwardly. Faith walked in through the back door.  
  
"There you are!," yelled Dawn a little louder than she meant to. "Come on, Giles wants to have a meeting."  
  
Dawn walked away but Patrick hesitated, looking at Faith.  
  
"After you," encouraged Faith.  
  
Dawn waved, indicating that she had saved the chair next to her for Faith. As she sat down Faith noticed that the front glass had been replaced during the day. Willow was sitting across from her but wasn't looking at her.  
  
"How are you feeling, Willow?," asked Faith.  
  
"Better," answered Willow quickly, again looking away. Faith curled up one side of her mouth in a half frown.  
  
"Guess I missed a good thunderstorm. I love storms like that. It gets so calm and placid and then suddenly all hell breaks loose, you know?," smiled Faith.  
  
Willow's eyes opened wide and her mouth opened slightly.  
  
"Willow? Something wrong?," asked Faith.  
  
"Um, no. No, not at all," mumbled Willow, again looking away. Faith looked at Tara but Tara just shrugged her shoulders.  
  
"Flaccid?," said Anya.  
  
"Huh?," asked Faith.  
  
"You said flaccid. What's that got to do with a storm?," asked Anya.  
  
"Nothing. But I guess it has something to do with Xander. I said placid," corrected Faith.  
  
Dawn bit her lower lip to keep from smiling.  
  
"Oh. Never mind," smiled Anya, glancing at Xander.  
  
"Now wait just a minute," began Xander.  
  
"Let's get started, shall we?," interrupted Giles.  
  
Xander sighed and everyone became quiet.  
  
"Quentin and I have been discussing this vampire that has been taunting Buffy of late and we've come up with a plan to find him. Everyone will work in pairs. Since it was your idea, Quentin, perhaps you would like to explain it," said Giles.  
  
"Very well. I have four hand held field communicators. If you would pair up we could not only cover more ground but stay in touch and maybe drive this vampire towards Restfield Cemetery where Faith will be waiting. Not very complicated but sometimes simple works best. Any questions?," asked Travers as he pushed a box into the middle of the table.  
  
Buffy raised her hand.  
  
"Yes, Buffy?"  
  
"First, I think the technical term in this country for these is walkie talkie," said Buffy, lifting one out of the box. "And I'm likin' the pairing up...safety in numbers, after all...but who gets paired with whom?"  
  
"Well, Xander can take Anya in his car. They can cover a lot more ground that way and can provide backup rather quickly. Willow can go with Tara to the Bronze, traditionally a vampire hunting ground," explained Giles to Travers.  
  
Buffy slid a walkie talkie to Xander, tossed one to Willow, kept one for herself and handed the last one to Faith.   
  
"And Dawn can sit safely at home," added Giles with a smile.  
  
"What?," snipped Dawn.  
  
"Drop it, Dawn. You're out of this one. Consider it punishment for last night," said Buffy.  
  
"But, Buffy, the more people you have the more ground you can cover," complained Dawn.  
  
"And this vampire knows you, too. Like I said, drop it," warned Buffy.  
  
Dawn crossed her arms and slumped down into her seat.  
  
"Excuse me, but would it be possible for Patrick to help? I am trying to teach him more than textbook fundamentals about what the Council does," said Travers.  
  
"I don't know. This is a little dangerous for a first time out, isn't it?," frowned Buffy.  
  
"He can go with Tara to the Bronze and I'll pair up with Buffy. Kinda safer for him in a crowded room than out at night where he might get separated from Buffy," said Willow.  
  
"Sounds good to me," agreed Buffy, glancing at Patrick. He smiled enthusiastically.  
  
"Thank you," said Travers.  
  
"We all know what this guy looks like. If you spot him, keep him in sight but don't engage him. Just call me," ordered Buffy.  
  
"B, you said this vamp looked familiar to you. Any chance you went to high school with him?," asked Faith.  
  
"I don't think so. He does remind me of someone but I can't think of who. Why do you ask?"  
  
"It's just...well, I didn't go to Sunnydale, but he seemed familiar to me, too. Maybe I saw him there once," shrugged Faith.  
  
"You know, maybe we can use cool handles instead of our names, like the last time we used these on patrol. When Buffy was...away...that time," said Xander, holding a walkie talkie and suddenly looking less confident.  
  
"Or not, Nighthawk," said Buffy. Xander's smile completely faded now.  
  
"Aw, and I had a good one, too," whined Tara to Willow.  
  
"Oh? What was it?," whispered Willow eagerly.  
  
"Bosom Buddy," pouted Tara.  
  
"Aw, honey, that's cute! You can still use that. But later," winked Willow. Tara giggled.  
  
Giles cleared his throat.  
  
"Quentin, has your Recovery Team left the country yet?," asked Giles.  
  
"No. Not yet. But I'm keeping an eye on them. I have a man in their camp that I can trust. They didn't believe in his commitment, his passion for his work. I did. So I rewarded him for his loyalty to the Council," said Travers smugly.  
  
"You bribed someone to spy for you," said Xander.  
  
"Money was not involved, Mr. Harris," retorted Travers.   
  
"Faith, Quentin has given me some papers that might interest you. The Council had been doing research on the Gypsy clan that originally cursed Angel. I haven't finished reading them yet, but it seems that you don't have to worry about losing your soul if...well, um, if you find a moment of true happiness, so to speak," stammered Giles.  
  
"Oh?," said Faith, raising her eyebrows.  
  
"No. We believe the only way for you to lose your soul would be if you turned someone into what you are," said Travers.  
  
"I'm assuming you mean a vampire," said Faith with a straight face.  
  
"Yes," smiled Travers.  
  
"And exactly when were you going to tell either Angel or me this?," glared Buffy.  
  
"Sorry. We weren't sure until just recently. These translations were not easy," replied Travers.  
  
"Faith, that's great! It's bad enough that you're dead, but to give up sex as well? I'd say hand me a stake, I'll save you the trouble! Now you can find someone just like Prince Charles did!," said Anya excitedly.  
  
The table suddenly got quiet.  
  
"Prince Charles?," repeated Xander.  
  
"Yeah, you know. He rode into the forest on his horse, saw Sleeping Beauty's corpse in that glass coffin and said, 'hey, that's the girl for me!'. Which is kinda gross when you think about it," grimaced Anya.  
  
"Honey, you have the wrong Prince," laughed Xander, trying to hide his embarrassment.  
  
"Well, who was it then? Prince Albert?," asked Anya.  
  
"No, that's the guy in the 'do you have Prince Albert in a can' joke," explained Xander.  
  
"Prince Albert's in a can? They cremated him? I didn't know he was dead!," said Anya.  
  
"No, he's not dead. You're thinking of Prince Charming," said Xander.  
  
"Oh. And he's not dead, so Prince Charming is next in line for the throne of England?," smiled Anya.  
  
"Um, yes. Yes, he is. He's betrothed to Mary, Queen of Scots," smiled Xander.  
  
"Aw, that's sweet," nodded Anya.  
  
"You're a hopeless romantic, Xander," giggled Tara.  
  
"Or just hopeless," whispered Patrick to Dawn. She had to cover her mouth with her hand.  
  
"We should get started. I'll go change into some darker color," said Faith, looking at the white blouse she had on. "Then I'll walk Dawn home."  
  
"Very good. Oh, Willow. There's two books on the counter over there. Could you put them on the shelf where they belong please? They just came in today," said Giles.  
  
"Sure," nodded Willow. She got up and Tara followed.  
  
"Faith, how's your leg? You up to this?," asked Buffy.  
  
"Let's just say that if I get into trouble I'd better be able to fight my way out because I sure as hell can't run away," replied Faith.  
  
"You, run away from trouble? Not a chance. Now starting trouble, that's the Faith I know," teased Buffy. Faith couldn't help but smile.  
  
"Buffy, can I ask you something?," said Patrick.  
  
"Ask away," said Buffy.  
  
"I've been reading up on Slayers and stuff and I saw a phrase that wasn't explained. What's the first rule of Slaying?," asked Patrick.  
  
"Oh, that's easy. It's..."   
  
Buffy paused, looking at Faith who was already smiling.  
  
"It's don't die," smiled Buffy.  
  
"Rules are meant to be broken, Patrick," grinned Faith.  
  
"Oh, bite me!," said Buffy, trying not to laugh.  
  
Faith laughed and started to walk away.  
  
"Faith, you want to eat before we head out?," asked Buffy.  
  
"You people are trying to get me fat, aren't you?," answered Faith, waving a hand at her.  
  
Willow turned, a heavy book in each arm.  
  
"Nice pair, girlfriend," smiled Tara.  
  
"Yeah, you should have a firm grasp of the material in these texts," answered Willow with a straight face. Tara laughed.  
  
"And what is that, anyway?," she asked. Willow held up the book and read the title out loud.  
  
"Kelty's Spells And Incantations With Mushrooms, A through J."  
  
"Sounds more like a cookbook," said Tara. Willow just shrugged and flipped open the book, balancing it carefully on her arm.  
  
"Says it's published in Australia. Wonder if there's a recipe for Dingo in mushrooms?," pondered Willow.  
  
"Ew," commented Tara.  
  
"What, I bet it tastes like chicken. Oh, not that I would hurt one!," frowned Willow.  
  
Faith made her way slowly down the stairs, wincing with each step. She dug out a black sweater and frowned, then continued to rummage through the backpack. Finding the book Dawn had given her, she turned to the page that Dawn had marked by bending a corner, something Faith knew would annoy Buffy if she saw it. She sat down and reread the page out loud.  
  
"For a long time he lived in the toy cupboard or on the nursery floor, and no one thought very much about him."  
  
Faith remembered waking up from the coma, alone and wondering where she was.  
  
" "What is Real?," asked the rabbit one day. "Real isn't how you are made," said the skin horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but really loves you, then you become Real." "Does it hurt?" "Sometimes." For he was always truthful. "When you are Real you don't mind being hurt." "  
  
Faith glanced at the door, but no one was coming downstairs. She continued reading.  
  
" "Does it happen all at once, like being wound up, or bit by bit?" "It doesn't happen all at once. You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't often happen to people who break easily, or who have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand." "  
  
"People who don't understand," whispered Faith to herself. The only thing Faith hated more than people feeling pity for her was feeling sorry for herself. But that's not what she felt right now.  
  
Faith shook her head and almost put the book down. But then she thought of Dawn and wondered why this book was so important to her. She forced herself to read the next paragraph.  
  
"The rabbit sighed. He thought it would be a long time before this magic called Real happened to him. He longed to become Real, to know what it felt like; and yet the idea of growing shabby and losing his eyes and whiskers was rather sad. He wished that he could become it without these uncomfortable things happening to him."  
  
Faith closed her eyes for a moment, then tossed the book onto the backpack, unbuttoned her blouse and slipped out of it. She pulled the black sweater over her head, glanced one last time at the book and then hobbled her way up the stairs.  
  
Dawn was waiting for her and handed Faith a stake. Patrick stood next to Dawn.  
  
"Ready?," asked Faith.  
  
"I guess. Got your radio thingy?," asked Dawn.  
  
"Yeah," nodded Faith.  
  
Dawn turned and faced Patrick.  
  
"So...good luck hunting tonight," said Dawn nervously.  
  
"Uh, thanks. Not that I'll be doing much of the hunting," smiled Patrick.  
  
Dawn hesitated, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. Then she quickly leaned in and kissed Patrick on the lips, careful to avoid the brim of his cap.  
  
"For luck," smiled Dawn, quickly turning around and walking away, not waiting for Faith.  
  
Faith looked at Patrick and smiled. He stood there, very much in shock, mouth open and staring at Dawn as she walked away. Faith followed after Dawn, not speaking to her until they were outside.  
  
"What was that all about?," asked Faith.  
  
"Carpe diem," replied Dawn.  
  
"The fish of the day is carp?," asked Faith, confused.  
  
Dawn gave Faith a worried look.   
  
*****  
  
"You really won't let me come with you? It'll be our secret," whined Dawn.  
  
"No."  
  
"It's so not fair!," yelled Dawn.  
  
Faith stood on the front porch of Buffy's house and watched as Dawn unlocked the door. She stepped inside, turned around and glared at Faith with her arms crossed.  
  
"You're not going to invite me in?," asked Faith.  
  
"No."  
  
Faith nodded.  
  
"Dawn, if you promise me that you'll stay home tonight, I'll feel a lot better. Because I know you'll keep your promise to me. And then I won't have to worry."  
  
Dawn pouted and looked down at her feet.  
  
"We've never lied to each other ever before. Please tell me you'll stay in tonight," asked Faith softly.  
  
Dawn sighed but nodded her assent.  
  
"I promise," said Dawn reluctantly.  
  
"Thank you," smiled Faith.  
  
Faith turned to go.  
  
"Faith, wait."  
  
Faith turned and put her hands into her pockets.  
  
"There's something you should know about me. Something that, that the others know, but you don't. See, it was a secret. And, and I didn't even know...it was a surprise. To everyone. Buffy didn't want me to tell you, but..."  
  
Dawn stared at Faith. For some reason she remembered Faith as she was in her hospital bed. She would sneak down to the hospital when none of the others would visit, long after even Buffy had stopped going. Dawn would even have to lie to her sister about where she had been, though she was sure Buffy knew. Faith's face would slowly heal from the beating Buffy had given her. And Dawn knew that Faith would someday wake up. But, as if considering this for only the first time, she realized something. Faith was in that coma because she had tried to kill her sister. Dawn wrapped her arms around herself, suddenly cold.  
  
"Dawn? You in there?"  
  
Dawn shook her head as if she had started to fall asleep.  
  
"Um, sorry, I was...it's just that, that I missed you. That's all," shrugged Dawn.  
  
"That's it? That's your big secret?," asked Faith.  
  
"Yeah. Kinda lame, huh?," frowned Dawn.  
  
"No. It's kinda sweet," smiled Faith.  
  
"Good luck," said Dawn.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
Dawn shut the door and Faith stood there for a moment. She turned and started walking towards Restfield Cemetery. And wondered why Dawn still hadn't invited her inside her home.  
  
*****  
  
Travers walked into his motel room and immediately knew something was wrong. They hadn't even bothered to hide the fact that they had been searching for something. The room was torn apart. They had been in a hurry.  
  
The bottom dresser drawer was slightly open. He knelt down and pulled it out the rest of the way. The leather case that contained the two vials of clear liquid was broken open. And the vials were gone.  
  
"Damn!," swore Travers.  
  
He picked up the phone and began to dial the number for the Magic Box. On the second number he hung up the phone and sighed. Digging his keys out of his pocket, he ran for his car.  
  
*****  
  
Faith pushed open the iron gate of Restfield Cemetery and ventured in. The broken chain had not yet been replaced. She sniffed at the air, listened to the quiet night and knew that she was alone.  
  
"Even the friggin' pine trees don't smell the same," groaned Faith.  
  
She only got as far as the second row of headstones, pausing in front of one of them. Grass had long ago covered the grave. Glancing up, Faith read that this girl had died three years ago. Fresh flowers lie at the base of the marker.  
  
Faith knew who was behind her and didn't bother to turn around.  
  
"Hey. What's up?," asked Buffy.  
  
"Nothing. He's not here yet," answered Faith, still staring at the grave.  
  
"Did Dawn give you a hard time about staying home?," asked Willow.  
  
"Not really. I made her promise to stay in tonight. I believed her."  
  
Faith still didn't take her eyes from the grave.  
  
"You'd better get going. Shouldn't take the chance of being seen together. Even I have a scent, you know," said Faith flatly.  
  
"Faith, did you know this girl?," asked Buffy.  
  
"No."  
  
"Then why are you so interested in her grave?," asked Willow.  
  
Faith glanced at Buffy but turned to face Willow. Neither girl smiled.  
  
"Girl's been dead for three years now. But someone still mourns for her. Someone cares enough to bring her fresh flowers, even now. No one cried for me when I died," said Faith, her emotionless voice matching the blank look on her face. She turned and walked away, not looking at Buffy.  
  
"I did," whispered Buffy.  
  
Faith stopped and waited a moment before turning her head to look back at Buffy. Buffy's eyes met hers and then Buffy looked down at the ground.  
  
"Thank you," said Faith. She turned her head and walked further into the cemetery.  
  
Buffy nodded at Willow and began walking back towards the entrance gate. A few steps later she realized that Willow wasn't following her. Looking back, she watched Willow stare at Faith as she moved further away from them.  
  
"Will?"  
  
Willow turned and looked at Buffy, then walked past her without saying anything.  
  
*****  
  
Tara looked around the Bronze from her seat at a table near the stage. It was early yet; the band hadn't taken the stage and the crowd was still sparse. Patrick came over carrying two glasses of soda and sat down next to her.  
  
"Drinks are on my Uncle," smiled Pat. "Well, on his travel expense account, that is. That man would never even part with two quid to buy someone else a drink."  
  
Tara smiled. Patrick dug a bottle of large white pills out of his pocket, pried off the lid and popped one into his hand. He tossed the pill into his mouth, took a gulp of soda and pocketed the bottle again.  
  
"You feeling okay?," asked Tara.  
  
"Oh, sure. This is just a vitamin supplement that my uncle wants me to take," shrugged Patrick. He looked around the mostly empty room and then focused on Tara.  
  
"Pat, do you ever take off that baseball cap? You're hiding some very nice hair," said Tara.  
  
"Um, no, not really. Only at dinner time. Even keep it on during those stuffy afternoon teas that the Brits are so fond of," smiled Pat.  
  
"The Brits being your Uncle?," asked Tara.  
  
Patrick nodded.  
  
"Um, Tara? Does Dawn have a boyfriend?," asked Pat.  
  
"No, not that I know about anyway," answered Tara, hiding her smile behind her raised glass.  
  
"Oh. So...what does everyone think of Faith? Are they going to accept her back into the fold?," asked Pat.  
  
Tara slowly lowered her glass, no longer smiling. She was staring at the entrance to the front door. Pat immediately picked up on her expression.  
  
"He's here, isn't he? He just walked in," said Pat.  
  
Tara nodded.  
  
Pat withdrew the walkie talkie from his pocket and pressed the button on its side. He raised it to his mouth but then lowered his hand, staring at the device. He pushed the button several more times and then looked up at Tara with a worried look on his face.  
  
"It's not working?," whispered Tara.  
  
Pat shook his head.  
  
"The battery must be dead. Or, or there's a loose wire," scowled Pat.  
  
"Great!"  
  
"Okay, Tara, you have to keep this guy here somehow while I go get Buffy."  
  
"What? And how am I supposed to do that? Dance with him?," said Tara, spreading her hands apart in a futile gesture.  
  
"If you have to! I can run a lot faster than you can," snapped Pat.  
  
"We, we can call Giles," smiled Tara proudly, happy that she thought of the idea.  
  
"And he'll do what? Run after Buffy? He doesn't have a walkie talkie, there were only four of them!"  
  
Tara looked over at the vampire. He was over by the bar, ordering a drink. The band came onstage, checking the sound system before they played their first song.  
  
"Tara, where's your pocketbook?"  
  
"What? Why?," asked Tara.  
  
"Get out some lipstick."  
  
Tara stared back dumbly at Pat.  
  
"Now!"  
  
Tara reached down and brought out a stick of red lipstick, holding it up.  
  
"Good choice! Give it to me."  
  
Tara handed him the lipstick.  
  
"Now lean forward."  
  
"Huh?," puzzled Tara.  
  
Pat didn't wait for her to lean in so he reached over and applied the lipstick himself.  
  
"Now roll your lips together and let me see," ordered Pat. Tara did as she was told.  
  
"Where did you learn to do that?," asked Tara.  
  
"Um, I, uh...my older sister. I watched her. A lot. Now take that clip out of your hair and shake your head. Oh, and undo the top two buttons on your blouse."  
  
Tara stared wide-eyed at Pat.  
  
"You see where I'm going with this here? You gotta keep this guy interested until I get back. He may be dead but his libido isn't!," said Pat.  
  
"But, um, I don't...he's a guy, and...well, it's...it just doesn't feel right, you know?," winced Tara.  
  
"Yeah, yeah. You don't tell Willow and I won't. Now shake that booty, get him to buy you a real drink, kiss him, do the hokey pokey or whatever you have to do! I gotta run," said Pat, standing up.  
  
Tara blinked then took the clip from her hair, shaking her head. She undid the top button on her blouse and looked up for Pat's approval. He tilted his head foreword and sighed. Tara turned away from him and undid another button.  
  
"Atta girl. Good luck," said Pat as he quickly left the Bronze.  
  
"Wait! Do you know where you're going?," yelled Tara. But Patrick didn't hear her.  
  
Tara took a deep breath, stood up and walked slowly over to the bar. She stood next to the tall, blonde haired guy, positive now that he was a vampire. He looked at her and she smiled.  
  
"Hi. Haven't seen you here before," said Tara, swallowing nervously but still smiling.  
  
He looked at her...and then looked back at the band. Tara rolled her eyes.  
  
"Wow. I guess that did sound kinda lame," laughed Tara, not looking at him.  
  
He looked back at her. And smiled.  
  
"What's your name?," he asked.  
  
"Tar...," squeaked Tara in a high pitched voice. "Tara," she repeated, smiling. "What's yours?"  
  
"Timothy. You can call me Tim. Can I buy you a drink?"  
  
"Oh yeah," nodded Tara eagerly.  
  
*****  
  
Faith was bored. She decided to explore the area around Restfield, keeping it in sight in case Buffy or the vampire showed up.   
  
The first two alleys were empty except for one scrawny cat, hopelessly digging through a dumpster. Faith glanced back at the cemetery, then slowly made her way into yet another alley. She hadn't gone very far when she stopped, hearing footsteps behind her. She spun and faced not one but two figures at the end of the alley. Their faces were hidden in shadow but she knew who they were.  
  
"Hello, Faith. Why don't we...talk."  
  
The man closest to her held a cross in a hand covered by a white cast and a bottle that Faith assumed was holy water in the other hand. His partner carried a hammer and what looked like a railroad spike in his other hand.  
  
END OF PART TWELVE   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	13. Part 13

Title: Into The Mirror  
  
PART THIRTEEN - A Wolf In Sheep's Clothing  
  
Giles heard the screeching of the car tires outside but was still startled when Quentin Travers ran into his shop.  
  
"Bloody hell! I'll never get used to driving on the wrong side of the road! Rupert, I've lost track of the Recovery Team and my man with them has not contacted me. They may be acting on their own now. Faith is in danger. And so is Buffy," sighed Travers.  
  
"What!?," yelled Giles, slamming down the book he held in his hands.  
  
*****  
  
"You don't do this very often, do you?," whispered Tim into Tara's ear as he wrapped his arms around her a little tighter and pressed his body against hers.  
  
"You m-ma-m-mean dance? With boys? Oh, n-n-no, I do it all the time!," laughed Tara, trying not to step on his feet as they swayed back and forth in time to the music.  
  
"Really?," smiled Tim.  
  
"Well, n-not lots of boys. I'm not that kind of girl," winced Tara.  
  
"Tara, relax. Why are you so nervous? Your heart is beating so fast," said Tim approvingly.  
  
"It is?"  
  
"Maybe it's too warm in here for you. Why don't we go outside? The cool night air will do you good," smiled Tim.  
  
"Oh, no, I'm fine. Really. W-Wh-Why don't w-we dance some more?," smiled Tara.  
  
"Please, I insist," said Tim, grabbing her firmly by the wrist.  
  
Tara stopped smiling.  
  
*****  
  
The cross was raised first, driving Faith back. She saw the bottle and managed to turn her face away but most of the water still caught her on the neck. She bit her tongue so that they wouldn't have the satisfaction of hearing her scream and felt her face morph as her back slammed into a wooden door in the wall behind her. The cross was so close to her face now that she couldn't open her eyes. Someone grabbed her right arm and held it above her head.  
  
The pain she felt next did cause her to scream.  
  
Faith looked up, knowing what had happened even before she saw the metal spike driven through her wrist, pinning her arm to the door. She screamed again as the hammer clanged loudly against the nail. They stepped back, out of reach of her feet. Faith pulled against the spike but couldn't budge it. Blood ran down her arm and dripped onto the pavement by her feet.  
  
"Staking is too good for the likes of you. Thought it might be more fun if you burned," laughed Collins.  
  
Faith turned and growled at him but Weatherby thrust the cross out and Faith hissed in pain.  
  
"An animal will chew its leg off to get out of a trap. Are you an animal, Faith?," asked Collins.  
  
Weatherby saw the walkie talkie on the ground by Faith's feet.  
  
"Drop something?," said Weatherby as his foot stomped on the radio, smashing it. "Wouldn't want you to call for help now, would we?"  
  
"She doesn't have to call. Get away from her. Now!"  
  
The two men turned to see Patrick standing behind them, hands on his hips.  
  
"Look, boy, this is none of your business! Now run along back to your uncle before I get mad," glared Collins.  
  
Patrick took another step towards them.   
  
"This is your last warning! Get the hell away from her. Now!," barked Patrick.  
  
"You insolent little runt! Who the hell do you think you are?," yelled Weatherby, dropping the cross and grabbing Patrick under his arms to throw him. Weatherby's good hand ripped Patrick's shirt down the side as they struggled.  
  
Patrick knocked Weatherby's hands aside, grabbed him by his arms and tossed him high onto the wall across the alley. Weatherby bounced off the wall and fell in a heap on the ground.  
  
Collins and Faith stared wide-eyed at Patrick.  
  
Collins reached into his jacket but with amazing speed Patrick knocked the gun from his hand even before he could aim it. Holding his wrist, Collins stared at him in disbelief. Patrick bent down and calmly picked up the gun, holding it in both hands.  
  
Without showing any strain on his face, Patrick bent the barrel enough to render the gun useless and handed the gun back to Collins. Collins stared at it, his expression changing from one of confusion to one of fear. And then Pat kicked him in the groin. Collins doubled over and dropped the gun.  
  
"I warned you. Now pick up that trash over there and get the hell out of my sight before I really get mad," said Patrick, nodding at Weatherby.  
  
Collins stumbled over to Weatherby and shook him awake, then helped him to his feet. They both left the alley. Pat turned and faced Faith. And saw that her eyes were fixed on the ripped shirt. Underneath was an ace bandage that was wrapped around Pat's chest.  
  
"You're...hurt. No, you're not hurt. You're hiding the fact that you're a girl. You're the new Slayer!," said Faith.  
  
"Pat is short for both Patricia and Patrick, you know," smiled Pat. "Guess I can finally get rid of this stupid cap. I hate baseball," said Pat, tossing the cap onto the ground and running a hand through her short hair.  
  
Faith continued to stare at Pat with her mouth open.  
  
"Okay, don't move," said Pat.  
  
"Not really going anywhere," replied Faith.  
  
Pat backed up a few steps to get a running start and then jumped, kicking the door above Faith's hand with her heel. The wood splintered and cracked inward. Faith was now able to wiggle the spike free. She sat down, grimacing in pain and holding her arm against her chest. Pat knelt down beside her and firmly gripped Faith's forearm with one hand, the spike with the other.  
  
"You ready?," asked Pat. Faith nodded.  
  
"On three, then. One..."  
  
Pat pulled the spike free and Faith rolled onto her side, face down on the ground. Pat tossed the spike down into the alley and put a hand onto Faith's shoulder.  
  
"Faith, are you okay?"  
  
Faith nodded and sat up, looking back at Pat in her human face now. She held her wounded wrist in her hand.  
  
"So you already know that trick," winced Faith.  
  
"Oh yeah," nodded Pat. She grabbed her shirt and ripped a piece of dangling fabric free, handing it to Faith. "Here, put pressure on it with this."  
  
"Thanks. For everything," added Faith.  
  
"Faith..."  
  
"You're the new Slayer! I'll be damned," said Faith, shaking her head as she bound her wrist.  
  
"You said it, not me," winked Pat. Faith smiled.  
  
"I knew there was something different about you! How did you find me?," asked Faith.  
  
"Well, I knew you'd be near Restfield Cemetery. And you are a vampire. Don't take this the wrong way, but I get all warm and tingly when I'm near you," smiled Pat.  
  
"Oh. Right," nodded Faith.  
  
"Faith, we have to hurry. Tara's in trouble. At the Bronze."  
  
Faith didn't wait for an explanation. She stood up and started running.  
  
*****  
  
Willow unclipped the walkie talkie from her belt.  
  
"Hey, anybody. Willow here. Just checking in. Haven't seen anything except old Mrs. Pander walking her ugly dog. Anybody else have any luck?"  
  
No one answered her.  
  
"Hello? Is this thing working?," said Willow.  
  
Again only static answered her.  
  
"Buffy, am I doing this right?," asked Willow.  
  
"Hey, Xander here! All quiet here, too. Nothing going on at all. Nothing that would interest you, I mean. Uh, so...ugly Mrs. Pander is walking her old dog, right?," said Xander.  
  
"Xander, you two had better not be doing what I think you're doing!," yelled Willow.  
  
"Doing? There's no doing here. No one's doing anyone...er, anything!"  
  
Willow sighed.   
  
"We've been working in an ever widening circle around the cemetery but we haven't seen anything. How about you, Tara?," asked Willow.  
  
Static was the only thing to be heard. Willow frowned at Buffy.  
  
"Tara, can you hear me?"  
  
More static.  
  
"Faith, can you hear me?," shouted Willow.  
  
Static.  
  
"Buffy, something's wrong," said Willow nervously. Buffy grabbed the walkie talkie from Willow's hand.  
  
"Xander, get over to Restfield. See if you can find Faith. We'll meet you at the Bronze," shouted Buffy.  
  
"Right. Um, I mean over," came Xander's response.  
  
Willow had already started to run. It was Buffy that had to catch up with her this time.  
  
*****  
  
"Well, that was...inconvenient," sighed Anya.  
  
"Not to mention embarrassing," added Xander.  
  
"Why? It's not like they could see us or anything."  
  
Xander just rolled his eyes at her. And then Anya smiled, looking down at him.  
  
"We might as well get going. All the wind has gone out of Omar the Tentmaker's sail. What was that word that Faith had for you?," asked Anya.  
  
"It wasn't for me, Anya. She was describing..."  
  
"Oh, yeah. Now I remember," laughed Anya.  
  
"Let's just get going, shall we?," groaned Xander.  
  
*****  
  
"How's your hand?," asked Pat, searching every face she could see in the Bronze.  
  
Faith tried to clench her hand together but couldn't make a fist.  
  
"I can barely move my fingers," said Faith. "But that's not important. They're not here. Follow me."  
  
Faith led Pat out to the rear exit past the restrooms. The back door was open.  
  
"I think he's out there," said Pat.  
  
"Don't think, just trust your instincts. You know he's out there. And so is Tara. She's alive...for now," said Faith.  
  
"How do you know that?," asked Pat.  
  
"One, I'm still a Slayer so I know there's a vamp out there. Two, I'm a vampire. I can hear her heartbeat. And I know she's scared. Pat, go out the front and come around back. You'll block him from getting out of the alley. Go!"  
  
"You have a stake?," asked Pat, offering one to Faith.  
  
"Yeah. You keep that. Um, how many vampires have you killed?"  
  
"One," frowned Pat.  
  
"Good enough. At least I don't have to explain the facts of death to a virgin. Now go!," ordered Faith.  
  
Pat ran away and Faith stepped out into the alley, her useless arm hanging loose by her side. The vampire was directly across from her, pressing Tara up against the wall.  
  
"Hey, handsome! Going to leave any for me?," shouted Faith.  
  
The vamp turned, his yellow eyes first angry at being disturbed and then confused at seeing another vampire. Faith got a glimpse of Tara, wide-eyed and crying.  
  
"Go find your own meal," snapped the vampire.  
  
"But she's not you're type!," complained Faith. "I thought you liked them a little younger," she added with a smile.  
  
Tara whimpered and the vampire backhanded her across the face. She collapsed and slid down the wall, falling onto her side on the ground and not moving. Faith took a step forward but restrained herself. Tara was still alive.  
  
"I know you. You were in the cemetery," said the vampire.  
  
"Yep, that was me. Hey, I'm new around here. So if I was intruding on your hunting grounds, I'll move on. Or..."  
  
"Or?"  
  
"Or maybe I'll make you move on," smiled Faith.  
  
The vampire looked Faith up and down and smiled.  
  
"You know, you look familiar to me," said Faith, slowly walking to her left so that she could move between Tara and the vamp if she had to. "Did you go to Sunnydale High?"  
  
The vampire turned to follow her and now had his back to the alley entrance.  
  
"Long time ago," shrugged the vampire.  
  
"Hmm. Still, I don't remember seeing you there. So what's with all these ritual killings? You trying to send a message to the Slayer?," asked Faith.  
  
"What's with all the questions?," snarled the vamp.  
  
"Just curious. I'm new at this. I could use a few pointers. So what is it, a vengeance gig?"  
  
"Something like that," he replied.  
  
Faith crossed her arms and waited for an answer.  
  
"I'm just having a little fun with the Slayer. It's payback," said the vamp.  
  
"Payback?"  
  
"Yeah. She broke my little brother's heart in high school. Thought I'd teach her a lesson," he smiled.  
  
"Your little brother? Maybe I knew him. What's his name?," asked Faith.  
  
"Scott Hope."  
  
Faith's eyes opened wide.  
  
"Scott Hope! That asshole broke up with her!," snapped Faith.  
  
"That's not how I heard it. He just beat her to the punch. She was trying to dump him for some other guy. Hey, what's it to you? Who are you? Better yet, what are you? A friend of the Slayer?"  
  
"Even in death the male ego lives on! What you are defines who you are, eh? Well, guess what? Yes, I am a vampire. That's what I am."  
  
Faith's face morphed into her demon form.  
  
"As for who I am? I'm Faith...the vampire Slayer," stated Faith, hands on her hips.  
  
The vampire laughed.  
  
"Well, she wasn't such a good dancer," he said, nodding at Tara. "Maybe you will be. How about a little tit for tat?," he said, motioning Faith towards him with his hand.  
  
"On the first date? Typical male."  
  
"And you think you can fight me with one hand?," laughed the vampire.  
  
"Maybe. But I brought help. Better look behind you," warned Faith.  
  
"You expect me to fall for that old trick?," he frowned.  
  
"What, you can smell the blood on my wrist but you can't hear the other heartbeat in the alley?," asked Faith, dumbfounded.  
  
The vampire turned his head to look behind him. Pat smiled and emphatically waved hello.  
  
"She's just a girl!," he laughed, turning back to look at Faith.  
  
And then he looked down at his chest where the stake was embedded.  
  
"Bullseye!," yelled Faith.  
  
The vampire exploded into a cloud of ash.  
  
"Don't ya just hate it when they say you're only a girl," smiled Faith, shaking her head.  
  
"He wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, was he?," asked Pat.  
  
"Nope. When he turned I think I saw a sign of the back of his head that read 'rattle okay'. Oh, and don't worry about getting the banter down. You'll pick that up as you go along."  
  
Pat smiled.  
  
"Um, Quentin Travers; not your uncle?"  
  
"Not a chance," replied Pat.  
  
"Good."  
  
Faith knelt beside Tara. Water was dripping from a broken gutter above her and she was lying in a puddle. Faith eased her up, resting her head gently on her arm. She brushed the hair from her eyes and glanced back at Pat. She hadn't moved yet from where she stood.  
  
"Hey Tara, time to wake up. It's over. He's gone."  
  
Tara moaned but didn't open her eyes. Faith brought her face closer to hers and again called her name.  
  
"Tara? How're you doing?," whispered Faith gently.  
  
Tara began to thrash back and forth, not quite awake or aware of where she was.  
  
"No! No, please don't! No!," cried Tara as she struggled.  
  
"Faith! What the hell are you doing!? Get away from her!," screamed Willow, bursting through the door from the Bronze and thrusting a cross into Faith's face.  
  
Faith dropped Tara and stumbled backwards, hissing in pain. She fell onto her back into a puddle, her arms raised defensively over her face.  
  
"Willow? Willow, what are you doing?," asked Tara, awake now and sitting up.  
  
Willow looked at Tara and then noticed the layer of ash on the alley around their feet. Her expression changed from one of confusion to one of regret as she slowly raised her eyes and looked at Faith. Faith looked up at her, tears in her yellow eyes and her face bitter with pain. Willow looked at the cross in her hand and threw it to the back of the alley.  
  
"Faith. Faith, I'm sorry, I didn't..."  
  
Faith staggered to her feet and ran past a speechless Pat. Willow turned and saw Buffy standing behind her, watching Faith run away.  
  
"Buffy, go after her. I didn't know, I, I just assumed..."  
  
"Willow?," called Tara.  
  
Willow immediately turned and knelt down to help Tara up.  
  
"Tara, are you okay? Are you hurt?," asked Willow anxiously.  
  
"No, I'm okay," answered Tara, hugging Willow. "I'm okay. Faith saved me. Again," added Tara, her voice a whisper.  
  
Willow winced and buried her face in Tara's shoulder, trying not to cry. Pat walked down towards them and Buffy stared at her the whole way.  
  
"We need to talk," smiled Pat.  
  
"Yeah. I think we do," agreed Buffy.  
  
Buffy looked down the alley but Faith was gone.  
  
*****  
  
"They could be anywhere!"  
  
"Honestly, Rupert, in this day of modern technology you should find a better way of communicating with your Slayer. A cell phone, perhaps," sighed Travers.  
  
"Or maybe you should have kept one of those hand held field communicators for yourself," replied Giles sarcastically.  
  
"Do you want me to drive? You seem awfully distracted."  
  
"And get us both killed? No," answered Giles.  
  
"Very well," replied Travers.  
  
"I can't believe you brought that stuff into this country," snapped Giles.  
  
"At the time it seemed an appropriate punishment for her," said Travers.  
  
"Oh, and you assumed Buffy would let her die?," asked Giles.  
  
"Of course that was considered. But Buffy helping Faith? We didn't believe it was a plausible option, given their past relationship," explained Travers.  
  
"It shows how little you know about Buffy," cringed Giles.  
  
"There's a way that I may be able to help Buffy, Rupert," said Travers.  
  
Giles only glanced at him, trying to keep his eyes on the road. And wondering if he should trust this man.   
  
*****  
  
The door to the Magic Box was locked and the shop was dark. Faith went around to the back door and had to kick it twice before it splintered open. She flipped the basement light on and quickly made her way downstairs. Grabbing the oversized backpack, Faith stuffed what few clothes were still on the floor into it.  
  
And then she picked up the book that Dawn had given to her.  
  
"I should say goodbye, Dawnie. I owe you that much."  
  
Faith slid the book into the backpack, zipped it up and left the Magic Box.  
  
*****  
  
Faith stood on the sidewalk in front of 1630 Revello Drive. There was only one light on in an upstairs room. Dawn's room.   
  
"Let's get this over with," whispered Faith to herself.  
  
She walked up to the door and was going to ring the bell when she noticed a piece of paper tacked to the door. Faith tore the note free and saw that it was written in Dawn's handwriting.  
  
"Faith, you are welcome to come into my home. I'm upstairs. Dawn."  
  
"How about that. I didn't think that would work," said Faith.   
  
And then she looked at the note again and slowly brought the paper up to her nose. There was blood on this. Faith dropped the note and slid the backpack off of her shoulder. Turning the doorknob, she discovered that the front door wasn't locked. Stepping inside, Faith quietly shut the door behind her and warily made her way upstairs.  
  
Dawn's door was shut but her light was on. Faith stood motionless in front of her door. And listened. There was no sound that anyone else would hear. But Faith wasn't human. She knew that there were two heartbeats within that room. One was directly in front of her, where Dawn's bed would be if she remembered correctly. The other was off to her right.  
  
Faith kicked the door open and jumped into the room, facing the heartbeat on her right.  
  
"Don't even think!," yelled Collins. "You move, she dies."  
  
Faith froze. The crossbow was aimed at Dawn, not at her. Knowing that if he had wanted to shoot her Collins would have already pulled the trigger, Faith glanced back at Dawn. Dawn was sitting comfortably on her bed, her mouth taped shut and her wrists bound together in front of her with the same tape. She noticed that Dawn's ankles were not bound and that her eyes were open wide. The girl was terrified.  
  
"It's about time, Faith. You almost had me worried that you wouldn't show up."  
  
"This is between me and you! Leave her out of this!," barked Faith.  
  
"Wrong. This was always about you. Good thing Buffy's sister bragged how she hadn't invited you in yet. Imagine my embarrassment if I hadn't coerced her to write that note," smiled Collins.  
  
Faith looked at Dawn and noticed the bruise over her left eye.  
  
"Bastard! You know I'm going to kill you," yelled Faith.  
  
"That will be one of your choices. And I imagine you would very much enjoy doing that. But every choice we make has a consequence. We are all held accountable for our actions. Oh, not you, of course. You are above the law. Or so you think," sneered Collins.  
  
"What do you want?," demanded Faith.  
  
"Dawn, you may remove the tape now," said Collins.  
  
Dawn reached up and winced as she pulled the tape from her mouth. Faith's hand clenched into a fist when she saw that Dawn's lower lip was bloody and swollen.  
  
"Faith, get out of here. I can survive this but you can't!," yelled Dawn, tears welling up in her eyes.  
  
Faith looked back at Collins, seething with anger.  
  
"Still haven't figured it out yet? You can't smell the poison that this dart is soaked in? I'm surprised. It should be very familiar to you," smiled Collins.  
  
Faith's eyes opened in understanding.  
  
"That's right. You once used this yourself. On Angel. Killer of the Dead, I believe it's called. So now we come down to choices. I am going to pull this trigger. Even you can't move fast enough to stop me. You can either choose to let the arrow hit Dawn and then you can tear into me. Maybe Dawn won't die from this. After all, it's not like the poison can kill her."  
  
"Faith, run. He won't shoot me if you're not here!," yelled Dawn.  
  
"She knows you're wrong, of course," said Collins.  
  
Faith looked at the weapon in his hand, trying to decide if she could grab it or deflect it in time. She knew she couldn't.  
  
"Your other choice would be to jump in front of the arrow, saving Dawn's life. But sacrificing your own. Call it a test of humanity," said Collins.  
  
"But she has a soul! You know that!," cried Dawn.  
  
"Doesn't matter. In fact, I'm counting on the fact that she does. You should too, little one," warned Collins.  
  
"Why? Why involve her at all? Just shoot me now and get it over with!," said Faith.  
  
"No!," yelled Dawn.  
  
"Why? In the true Council tradition, it is a test. You're an abomination, Faith. A disgrace to everything we stand for. And you must be eliminated. But you will have one last chance to prove you aren't an animal, to die with some dignity. Bloody painful death, but dignified nonetheless. It doesn't matter if you have a soul or not. That's not what defines your humanity. It's the choices you make along the way," laughed Collins.  
  
"This is stupid! Buffy will cure her. You know she will!," said Dawn.  
  
"No, I don't think so. We doubt very much if she could survive being drained twice. And if she does attempt it she will die trying. Not that this hasn't occurred to the Council. We will simply have a new Slayer that will obey us," glared Collins.  
  
"Faith, if he doesn't hit my heart, I probably won't die. Don't let him do this!"  
  
"I can't miss at this range," said Collins calmly. "And she knows that."  
  
Dawn swallowed and looked at Faith. Faith suddenly smiled.  
  
"I love you, Dawnie," beamed Faith.   
  
Collins pulled the trigger.  
  
END OF PART THIRTEEN   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	14. Part 14

Title: Into The Mirror  
  
PART FOURTEEN - Full Circle  
  
"No."  
  
Sometimes a whisper can be so much louder than a scream.  
  
Dawn cradled Faith's head in her lap. The arrow had barely missed her heart and protruded from her back just below her left shoulder blade.  
  
"Faith...what can I do?," pleaded Dawn.  
  
"I need you...to hold the shaft and, and to break off the tip of...the arrow. Can you do that?"  
  
"I think so," nodded Dawn.  
  
Dawn eased Faith onto her side and gripped the arrow in her left hand.  
  
"Just...be quick," said Faith.  
  
Dawn winced but clenched the arrow under the point in her other hand. Surprisingly, the wood snapped easily. Faith moaned in pain.  
  
"Sorry!," yelled Dawn.  
  
"It's okay. You did good," said Faith through clenched teeth.  
  
"Faith, the phone's dead. He must've cut the line. I'll go across the street to Melinda's...oh no! They're not home!"   
  
"The Bronze...Buffy was at the Bronze...go tell her what happened," said Faith.  
  
"Okay. Can I do anything else? Before I go, I mean?," asked Dawn.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Take a cross with you. And run fast," smiled Faith briefly.  
  
Dawn stood up. And ran.  
  
*****  
  
Dawn was the first into the house, even beating Buffy up the stairs. She ran into room...and stopped to look at Buffy behind her. Then she looked around the room.  
  
"Faith?," called out Dawn.  
  
Buffy knelt down and picked up the arrow, holding it up so that Dawn could see it. There was blood on the carpet at the foot of Dawn's bed.  
  
"She, she's gone?," said Dawn.  
  
"She couldn't have gone far. Not hurt like that," said Buffy.  
  
Buffy turned around and took charge.  
  
"Xander, take Anya and find Giles. Start at the Magic Box. Pat, start searching the neighborhood. You'll know if she's close, right?," ask Buffy.  
  
"Yeah. Should I get her back here or come get you?," asked Pat.  
  
"Um, I, I don't know. Just find her. Dawn..."  
  
"Dawn, go with Tara. Search the area in the opposite direction that Pat does. Keep expanding your search circle out from here," said Willow. "Pat, before you go I need to ask you something."  
  
"Okay," nodded Pat.  
  
Xander and Anya went downstairs, followed by Dawn. Willow grabbed Tara's arm as she walked by.  
  
"Keep her away from here for as long as you can. An hour, if possible," whispered Willow.  
  
"Why?," asked Tara.  
  
Willow didn't say anything. And Tara immediately understood.  
  
"She's here," whispered Tara. Willow nodded.  
  
Tara glanced at Buffy and then looked at Willow.  
  
"Good luck," said Tara. Willow smiled and Tara left.  
  
"Willow, maybe there's a spell you can do. You know, search for the dead or something. Oh, or better yet..."  
  
"Buffy, she's here," interrupted Willow.  
  
"Huh? How do you know that?," asked Buffy.  
  
Willow tugged at the turtleneck she wore, revealing the still red scar on her neck. She raised her eyebrows for emphasis.  
  
"Oh. Oh!," said Buffy, finally understanding.  
  
"I'm standing next to two Slayers and I have to be the one to say we have a vampire in the basement?," frowned Willow.  
  
Buffy sighed. Pat looked embarrassed.  
  
"Give me a few minutes with her alone first, okay?," asked Willow.  
  
"Sure," nodded Buffy.  
  
"Buffy, what are you going to do?," asked Willow.  
  
"I don't know. I haven't allowed myself to think that far ahead yet," said Buffy.  
  
"Buffy, I swear I didn't know they had that poison. I would've warned you," said Pat.  
  
"It's okay," smiled Buffy.  
  
"Pat, you know the only cure for this, right?," asked Willow.  
  
"Yeah," nodded Pat, looking down. "Drain the blood of a Slayer."  
  
"Well, if Faith were to take some blood from each of you, it would be a lot safer for..."  
  
Pat's eyes grew wide in fear. Buffy noticed and tried to ease an awkward situation.  
  
"It's alright, Will. This is between Faith and me," said Buffy.  
  
"But...Faith drank from me. It's not so bad. And that way..."  
  
"No. I'm, I'm sorry. But I can't," said Pat nervously.  
  
Buffy and Willow looked at the girl.  
  
"You don't understand," said Pat.  
  
"No, I don't. Buffy isn't just the Slayer, she's my best friend. I don't want to see her die," said Willow, raising her voice more than she meant to.  
  
Pat sighed and briefly closed her eyes. She glanced at Buffy, then looked at Willow.  
  
"My father was the only one I've ever been close to. He was killed very recently. By a vampire," added Pat.  
  
"Oh. Pat, I'm sorry," said Willow awkwardly.  
  
"I know...I know it doesn't make sense to you. But, but I don't think I could let Faith bite me. I'm sorry. It's just too soon," frowned Pat.  
  
"Pat, it's okay. You're making perfect sense," said Buffy, putting a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"There is another way I can help. I have to find Mr. Travers. If you can, just give me about ten minutes before you do anything," said Pat, running from the room without an explanation.  
  
Willow looked at Buffy. They both shrugged.  
  
"I'm going to go talk to Faith," said Willow.  
  
Buffy nodded and sat down on the edge of Dawn's bed. Willow took a step towards the door, then stopped.  
  
"Buffy, you remember when Angel drank from you? How it felt, I mean," said Willow.  
  
"Sure. It was...unforgettable. In a big, scary way," smiled Buffy.  
  
"And it was more...well, way more than you expected. Intense in a one on one, oh-wow-where-did-that-come-from kind of way?," hinted Willow.  
  
"Oh yeah. What's that saying? There's a fine line between pleasure and pain? Where are you going...with this?," said Buffy, suddenly suspicious.  
  
Willow just tilted her head and sighed.  
  
"Oh. You mean...you and Faith. It was..."  
  
"Intense," nodded Willow. "Just thought I'd give ya a heads up. In case you do what I think you're going to do. It's a real eye opener, especially if you're not expecting it going in," smiled Willow.  
  
"Oh. Thanks," grimaced Buffy as she looked away from Willow.   
  
"Give me about five minutes alone with her."  
  
Buffy absently nodded.  
  
Willow flicked on the light switch by the cellar door. She walked to the bottom of the stairs but didn't see Faith.  
  
"Faith, you know that I know that we both know that I know you're down here. You can't hide. Not from me," said Willow.  
  
"Over here," whispered Faith dryly.  
  
Willow took a few steps into the basement. Faith was sitting down behind some stacked cardboard boxes. She was holding a framed photograph in her badly shaking hand. Willow saw that it was one of Joyce, Buffy and Dawn, all smiling.  
  
"They look happy, don't they?," asked Faith, not expecting an answer.  
  
"They always were. No matter what happened," answered Willow, sitting down next to Faith.  
  
Willow looked from the photo to Faith. Faith looked even paler than usual. And her skin was beaded with perspiration. Faith put the photo face down on the floor and didn't look at Willow.  
  
"Couldn't get far, could you?," asked Willow.  
  
Faith shook her head and wrapped her arms around herself, her body shaking with chills.  
  
"Not that I didn't try. Who's here?," asked Faith.  
  
"Only Buffy. I told Tara to keep Dawn away."  
  
"Thanks. I don't want Dawnie to see me like this," said Faith gratefully.  
  
"Faith, I'm so sorry about what happened in the alley," said Willow softly, her hand resting on Faith's arm. She was shocked at how warm the fever already made Faith's skin feel.  
  
"Why? You were just protecting the one you love. I would've done the same. Instinct took over. It's as simple as that," replied Faith, still not looking at Willow.  
  
"No. It's not that simple. It rarely ever is. Seeing your face like that, so close to her...why was your face like that? I don't understand," said Willow weakly.  
  
"I didn't think. For a moment...for a moment I forgot what I was. My mistake. It won't happen again," said Faith.  
  
Willow winced sharply and looked away.  
  
"No! That's not what you are. You're a Slayer! And you always will be," said Willow, putting an arm around Faith. Faith resisted at first but then allowed Willow to pull her face against her chest.  
  
"For a little while longer, anyway," whispered Faith.  
  
"Faith, I'm so sorry. I really am."  
  
"I know," answered Faith.  
  
Willow held her like that and Faith slowly and with hesitation put her arm around Willow's waist.  
  
"Tara's okay, right?," asked Faith.  
  
"Yeah. She's fine," sniffed Willow.  
  
Faith finally looked up at Willow and smiled. Both girls turned to see Buffy standing behind them. Willow eased herself from Faith and stood up.  
  
"Maybe I'll go get some wet towels. It'll help. With the fever," said Willow.  
  
Buffy nodded as she left. And then she sat down next to Faith and put her arm around her.  
  
"You know, B, this has been one hell of a long week," laughed Faith.  
  
"Well, it's almost over," smiled Buffy.  
  
Faith looked at her out of the corner of her eye.  
  
"Oh, I only meant that it's Friday! The week's almost over," said Buffy. Faith smiled.  
  
"I've been sitting here, pondering the twists and turns in my life, and you know what I keep thinking of?," asked Faith, her body trembling again.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Why is it twists and turns? Why isn't it turns and twists?"  
  
Buffy scrunched her eyebrows together and stared at Faith.  
  
"Yeah, I know. The fever must be kicking in," grinned Faith.  
  
"And is it poetic justice if the words don't rhyme? I mean, what rhymes with ironic?," laughed Faith. "Cuz it doesn't get any more ironic than this."  
  
"Faith, you're not going to die."  
  
"I'm already dead, B. In more ways than one."  
  
"Not to me you aren't," replied Buffy.  
  
"You know I'm not going to let you do this," said Faith firmly.  
  
"I can make you. I made Angel do it," replied Buffy confidently.  
  
"He couldn't control it. He wanted you. The demon's need to survive took over. It was thinking of itself. I'm thinking about us," said Faith.  
  
"Us?"  
  
Faith nodded.  
  
"I can never ask you to forgive me. You and me? I'm getting what I deserve," said Faith, lowering her head.  
  
"Bullshit!," yelled Buffy, startling Faith. She looked up at Buffy, tears clouding her eyes.  
  
"There's good in you. So much more than you know," said Buffy.  
  
"You're so wrong," whispered Faith. "I blew it. I'm weak."  
  
"You're not weak if you need help. Everyone needs help. And the good? It's there," said Buffy, touching a finger to Faith's chest. "Even against the Mayor it came out."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Remember? You told me about human weakness, that it never goes away. Even his. You helped me defeat him."  
  
"That...that seems familiar. I did say that. But how? I was, I was in a coma," said Faith, puzzled.  
  
"It doesn't matter. What matters is that you reached out to me," smiled Buffy.  
  
"And when I took your body, that was a good? No! Still doesn't mean that I deserve your forgiveness. And let's not forget I killed a man. The archeologist was no accident. We're not as alike as you think," sighed Faith.  
  
"Faith! I tried to kill you. More than willingly. You and me, we are alike. We..."  
  
Buffy didn't finish. Faith glared at her.  
  
"Then say the words. I might believe you, but until you say them, out loud, you'll never believe them," challenged Faith.  
  
Buffy stood up with her back to Faith and stepped away from her.  
  
"Didn't think you could," sniffed Faith. Buffy ignored her.  
  
"Human weakness. It never goes away. Well, everyone thinks I'm so strong. You know what? I'm not. I am so not! I'm weak too. But they can't know that," said Buffy, turning to face Faith.  
  
"I never told Riley that I loved him. I couldn't...I didn't let him in. I was weak. I thought that I showed him, but I couldn't tell him what he needed to hear. And now he's gone. Faith, I can't say the words you need to hear. I can only show you. I'm not going to lose you again," pleaded Buffy, swallowing to fight back her tears.  
  
Faith looked up at her and then closed her eyes.  
  
"What about Dawn? What if..."  
  
Faith didn't finish her thought. She didn't have to. Buffy turned away from her and stepped close to the wall next to them. When she spoke her voice was a whisper.  
  
"I'm not going to die. You're not going to take more than you need. When you're drinking, the only thing you're going to be thinking about, the only thing you're going to see, is Dawn. I know you would never hurt her. So I trust you."  
  
The room was quiet. Buffy was about to turn around when she felt Faith's hand gently brush her hair aside, pulling it back across her shoulder. Her body stiffened but she tilted her head slightly, exposing her neck, inviting Faith in. Faith put a hand on Buffy's shoulder and leaned in, her lips barely touching Buffy's neck in a whisper of a kiss. Buffy inhaled sharply.  
  
"You can trust me. I would die before I hurt Dawnie," said Faith, her voice barely audible.  
  
Even though her lips were quivering, Buffy smiled and put her hand over Faith's hand.  
  
"You can't understand how much I hate myself right now," said Faith, her voice cracking with emotion.  
  
"I don't hate you, Faith," said Buffy, starting to cry.  
  
Buffy spread her palms out against the wall, bracing herself. She fought to keep her arms from trembling. Tears ran down her face, along her neck and over the scar that Angel had given her. Faith wiped the teardrops from the scar, blood on her hand from her wound mixing with that of Buffy's tears. Buffy closed her eyes.  
  
Her mouth over Angel's scar, Faith bit into Buffy's flesh. Buffy cried out in pain but tried to remain still. And Faith fed.  
  
*****  
  
Willow was sitting in front of the basement door when Pat ran into the house, quickly followed by Giles and Quentin Travers. They carried a large plastic cooler between them.  
  
"You found him already?," asked Willow, standing up.  
  
"They found me," shrugged Pat.  
  
Another man walked in behind Giles as they set the cooler down on the floor. It took a moment for Willow to recognize him.  
  
"Ben! What are you doing here?," asked Willow.  
  
"Mr. Giles told me that you were in need of a doctor. Something about a transfusion?," asked Ben, nodding towards the cooler.   
  
"The Council's resources can be a valuable tool at times," said Travers, panting to catch his breath.  
  
"Haven't done much field work of late?," teased Giles. He was breathing fine.  
  
"So...where's the patient?," asked Ben.  
  
The cellar door burst open. Faith carried Buffy in her arms and froze, thrown by the scene in front of her.  
  
"Buffy?," gulped Ben.  
  
"It's okay, Faith. They're here to help. Let's get Buffy upstairs and into her bed," smiled Willow.  
  
Still somewhat confused, Faith only hesitated a moment, then bounded up the stairs two at a time.  
  
*****  
  
Dawn sat on the edge of Buffy's bed. Except for the bandage on her neck, her sister seemed to be peacefully asleep. And Dawn couldn't remember the last time Buffy had a good night's sleep. Hearing someone open and close the door behind her, she groggily turned her head in that direction.  
  
"Hey," whispered Faith, standing beside Dawn and putting her arm around her shoulder. "How's she doing?"  
  
"She hasn't even moved. But Ben said she might not wake up for another hour or two," said Dawn, not taking her eyes off of Buffy.  
  
Faith stepped forward and tenderly brushed a lock of hair off of Buffy's forehead. Then she slowly leaned towards her and kissed Buffy on the forehead. She looked back and saw Dawn staring at her.  
  
"Why did you do that?," smiled Dawn.  
  
"I don't know. It just...seemed familiar, somehow. Like she would have expected it," shrugged Faith.  
  
"Trust your instincts. That's what Buffy always says," agreed Dawn.  
  
Faith smiled.  
  
"You doing okay?," asked Dawn.  
  
"Physically, no problem. I'm trying to avoid hanging with the gang right now. It's wicked awkward, ya know? Like they think I'm looking at their neck or something."  
  
Dawn laughed.  
  
"Why don't you go take a break, stretch your legs or something. Maybe take a nap. I'll sit with her a while," said Faith, strongly hinting that Dawn should obey her suggestion.  
  
"Well, maybe just so that I can go to the bathroom," said Dawn.  
  
Faith glared at her.  
  
"Okay, I'll get a snack, too," whined Dawn.  
  
And Faith turned her head to hide her smile. Then she quickly turned and messed up Dawn's hair with her hand.  
  
"Faith! You know I hate that!," protested Dawn.   
  
Faith laughed. And then Dawn smiled.  
  
"It's good to hear you laugh again," said Dawn.   
  
Dawn stood up and Faith sat down next to Buffy.  
  
"And if you touch my hair again I'm going to start opening some window shades around here!," warned Dawn as she walked away.  
  
Faith shook her head, still smiling, and looked at Buffy. She reached over and held Buffy's hand in her own. The room was quiet. The only thing Faith heard was Buffy's heartbeat. Faith slipped her other hand around Buffy's, holding her hand in both of hers now. And then Buffy's eyelid twitched. A moment later her head moved.  
  
Buffy slowly opened her eyes, unsure of where she was. She looked at her hand and saw it being held by Faith. Giving her hand a little squeeze, Buffy looked up at Faith and smiled. Faith smiled back, each girl knowing no words needed to be said.  
  
*****  
  
Dawn stood in the doorway of the exercise room, refusing to move.  
  
"Dawn, you have to go out there sooner or later," said Willow.  
  
"No, I don't!," retorted Dawn.  
  
Willow sighed and peeked around the doorway from behind her. Pat was standing by the checkout counter. She was wearing a short denim skirt, moderately low cut but tight fitting white blouse, bright red lipstick and lace up leather sandals. Willow looked back at Dawn and smiled.  
  
"Willow, I liked him. I mean her! I thought he...she...was cute. What was I thinking? Look at her. You might cut me some slack except, well...her look? Not exactly butch! And who picked out her clothes anyway? Faith? For crying out loud, she looks like a young Meg Ryan with freckles!," sighed Dawn.  
  
"Mmmm," replied Willow, her eyes not focusing on Dawn. Tara glared at Willow sideways with a worried look.  
  
"Um, I mean, sure! If that's what you like to...er, Dawn, you didn't know. You thought she was a boy. It doesn't mean anything," shrugged Willow.  
  
"My first kiss and I kissed a girl," said Dawn, putting a hand over her face.  
  
"You kissed a girl! Ew!," screeched Willow.  
  
Dawn opened her hand and peered out between her fingers. Willow had her hands on her hips and her head tilted. But she was smiling.  
  
"Yep, that's it, Dawnie. You're committed for life now. No more boys for you. Although I must say I respect your choice," teased Tara.  
  
"Like I'm going to get any sympathy from you two!," whined Dawn.  
  
"Dawn, she's probably just as embarrassed as you are. Remember, she has no friends here. So get out there and start talking," ordered Willow.  
  
"No!"  
  
"I'll tell her that it doesn't matter to you that you're a girl and that you still want to see her," threatened Willow.  
  
Dawn opened her eyes wide and stared at Willow.  
  
"You wouldn't dare!," hissed Dawn, mortified.  
  
Willow only smiled and crossed her arms.  
  
"Okay, I'm going already!," snapped Dawn, quickly walking past Buffy as she headed for Pat.  
  
"Is Dawn okay?," asked Buffy, looking back at her sister. "She looked kinda pale. I'd even say white."  
  
"You think that's white? You haven't seen white until you've seen Willow's...um, sorry. Too much information," mumbled Tara, looking down.  
  
"We were just encouraging her to go talk to Pat," explained Willow, ignoring Buffy's questioning stare.  
  
"Ah. Encouraging as in prying her hands from the door and pushing her out there kicking and screaming?," asked Buffy.  
  
"Pretty much," agreed Tara.  
  
"Poor kid," laughed Buffy.  
  
"Yeah, her mouth dropped quicker than Anya's dress on a Saturday night when she found out. So Buffy, how are you feeling?," asked Willow.  
  
"Five by five," nodded Buffy.  
  
Willow raised her eyebrows at hearing that. Buffy winked and Willow relaxed.  
  
"And the...experience with Faith. Was it what you expected?," asked Willow.  
  
"It was...different. From when Angel, well, you know. It was more...intense," smiled Buffy.  
  
"More intense?," repeated Willow, not looking at Tara but trying to hide her smile.  
  
"Oh yeah. A real eye opener. In more ways than you think," said Buffy.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Say, Tara, I really like that blouse. It brings out the color in your eyes," commented Buffy, running her hand up and down Tara's arm.  
  
"Ya think?," smiled Tara.  
  
"Yeah. And you know what? I have some lipstick that would go real nice with this, too. Why don't you stop over later and I'll...give it to you," offered Buffy in a sultry voice.  
  
"Um, Buffy, I have to run some errands for Giles. I won't be around later," frowned Willow.  
  
"So? I didn't invite you," smiled Buffy as she walked away.  
  
"That's not funny, Buffy. Don't you be hitting on my girlfriend! Tara? Tara, where are you going? Are you laughing at me? Oh, you are in so much trouble. Buffy, get back here! I don't care if you are the Slayer! I'll hunt you down and kick your butt! Get back here!"  
  
Willow was interrupted by Xander coming in through the back door, followed by Anya. They were both carrying pizza boxes.  
  
"Xander, why are you coming in through the back door?," asked Willow.  
  
"Someone didn't want to be seen coming in the front door," whispered Anya.  
  
"Lunch is here!," yelled Xander.  
  
Willow glanced back and saw Faith walk in. She was wearing a full length rain poncho, gloves and was holding an umbrella. Try as she might, Willow couldn't stop herself from laughing.  
  
"Oh, girl, you got the look working for you!"  
  
"It wouldn't be so bad but it isn't even cloudy out. And Xander made me wait in the car while he went to get the pizzas!," pouted Faith.  
  
"What, you wanted to go in dressed like that?," laughed Willow.  
  
"No! He could've dropped me off here first!," complained Faith, tossing the umbrella on the floor and unzipping the poncho.  
  
"Come on. We set up a table in the exercise room so that you wouldn't be near the windows," said Willow.  
  
"Hey," said Dawn.  
  
"Hey," answered Pat.  
  
"So...what's new?," winced Dawn. Pat smiled.  
  
"Dawn, I'm sorry I couldn't tell you. I wanted to and I would have. Eventually," shrugged Pat. "At least I can get my ears pierced now."  
  
"Why did you have to hide who you were at all?," asked Dawn.  
  
"Mr. Travers will explain it during lunch. And I think Willow wants us back there," nodded Pat towards the back room.  
  
"Yeah. Go ahead. I need to get something first. But save me a seat," added Dawn.  
  
"Sure," smiled Pat. "Oh, and Dawn?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"You're a very good kisser," smiled Pat as she walked away.  
  
Dawn's eyes went wide and she stiffly turned and walked in the other direction.  
  
"Um, Faith? Just wait here for, well...just stand there. I'll be right back," said Willow, not waiting for an answer.  
  
Faith tossed the poncho onto the umbrella and peeled off her gloves. She looked up and saw Willow leading Tara over by the hand.  
  
"Hi," smiled Tara.  
  
"Hi. What are you two up to?," asked Faith suspiciously.  
  
"We have a surprise for you," said Willow.  
  
"Kind of a thank you," explained Tara.  
  
"For everything that you've done," added Willow.  
  
"See, there's this spell we found..."  
  
"Nothing dangerous or to worry about," interrupted Willow.  
  
"No! Not at all..."  
  
"And it only lasts for about an hour," said Willow.  
  
"Whoa and slow down," said Faith, holding up a hand. "Could one of you explain this. I feel like I'm watching a tennis match."  
  
Willow looked at Tara and she nodded.  
  
"There's a way for you to walk in the sun. Only for an hour, but we thought it might be a treat," smiled Willow. "To feel the warmth on your face again."  
  
"Really? That sounds...that sounds too good to be true," squinted Faith. "What's the catch?"  
  
"Um, there's not really a catch, but there is this awkward part," said Willow tentatively.  
  
"Go on," encouraged Faith. Willow took a deep breath.  
  
"You would join me...in my body. We're not talking about switching bodies here. No, no, no. You would leave your body and it would be in this trancelike state. And, and you wouldn't control me or anything. You'd sorta be along for the ride," frowned Willow.  
  
"Oh. Wow. Um, I...I don't know what to say," stalled Faith, thinking about it. Tara and Willow looked at her, not saying anything.  
  
"Tara, you'd be okay with this?," asked Faith softly.  
  
Tara smiled and nodded.  
  
"Faith, this is m-m-more than just a thank you. This is to show you...that we trust you," said Tara.  
  
Even Faith knew that Tara only stuttered when she was nervous.  
  
"Don't take this the wrong way, because I'm just blown away that you would even offer this. But I can't accept. Thanks, but being in another body again? That's enough to give me the wiggins. Just the fact that you, that you even thought of this...for me...wow," smiled Faith.  
  
"If I didn't know better, I'd say that you were blushing, Faith. How does a vampire get color in her cheeks?," teased Willow.  
  
"Willow, if you make me cry I'll, I'll...well, I don't know what I'll do, but you won't like it. Thank you," sniffed Faith.  
  
"Oh, um, I didn't tell Buffy about this," winked Willow.  
  
"Hmm, you know, it might be worth it to see the look on her face!," laughed Faith.  
  
"Faith!," yelled Willow.  
  
"I'm just kidding," answered Faith.  
  
"Okay, the pizza's getting cold. Let's get in here," said Buffy, sticking her head around the door.  
  
Everyone found a seat and began to dig through the pizza boxes. Faith tried to blend in and not show how awkward this was for her. Anya offered her a slice but she politely declined. Then Dawn walked into the room and set down a blue plastic cup in front of Faith.  
  
"Didn't want you to feel left out," smiled Dawn.   
  
"Thanks," said Faith.  
  
"Hey, I hope you left me some pepperoni!," yelled Dawn. Buffy slid a plate over to her with two pepperoni slices on it.  
  
"How do you feel, Faith?," asked Pat. She was sitting next to Dawn and had just finished eating a slice of pizza herself. Dawn looked at Faith to catch her answer.  
  
Faith looked around the table. Everyone was talking or listening or smiling or eating. Even Travers. No one noticed or seem to even care that Faith had a cup of blood in front of her.  
  
"I feel...Real," said Faith, raising the cup to her lips and taking a sip.  
  
"I know exactly how you feel," smiled Dawn.  
  
"Again, I apologize for what happened last night. Those involved will be dealt with, I promise," said Travers.  
  
"And I should thank you for your...quick thinking," said Buffy.  
  
"I'm sorry it had to come to that," replied Travers.  
  
"Excuse me, but I still don't understand why you had to hide Pat's identity," said Faith.  
  
"We knew it wasn't a long term solution, but again, it goes back to the power struggle within the Council. They couldn't even agree on which Watcher should be assigned to her. In fact, the one that was chosen died in a very suspicious automobile accident just hours after accepting her duties. Something about faulty brakes," intoned Travers.  
  
The table became very quiet. Pat looked down at her lap.  
  
"Of course, no one can prove that the brakes were actually tampered with. And Pat's life is not danger. I just wanted certain parties not to have access to her," explained Travers.  
  
"So what happens now?," asked Buffy.  
  
"I've been discussing that with Mr. Giles. I'd like Pat to stay here until the Council settles their...issues...and a Watcher can be assigned to her."  
  
"Mr. Travers, can I say something?," asked Faith. He raised his eyebrows, surprised at how formal she was being. So did Buffy. And Xander.  
  
"Of course," responded Travers.  
  
"I'm not sure what the Council has in mind for me, but I'd like to help train Pat while she's here. Let's face it, one of the biggest disadvantages a new Slayer has is lack of experience. Well, Buffy and I have experience coming out of our...we have tons of it. And Pat could train against a real vampire, hone up on her tracking skills with none of the risk. And I could give Buffy a break, doing some of her patrols for her. It's...it's just a thought. Or two," shrugged Faith hopefully.  
  
Travers smiled.  
  
"I was getting to you, Faith. Mr. Giles has already asked that he be assigned as your Watcher. At least for now. If that's acceptable to you, that is," said Travers.  
  
Faith looked at Giles, quite shocked.  
  
"You...you would want me back?," asked Faith.  
  
"On one condition," answered Giles.  
  
Faith waited nervously for his condition.  
  
"That you promise not to bite anyone else here at this table," said Giles with a straight face. Faith looked around the table.  
  
"Hmm."  
  
"Xander, why is she looking at me? Make her stop looking at me," whispered Anya.  
  
"Anya, I wouldn't bite you," laughed Faith.  
  
"Oh? And why not? What's wrong with my neck? You don't like my neck? Well, lose the unholier than thou attitude, girl! I have a nice, sexy neck. Right Xander?," said Anya.  
  
Xander smiled uncomfortably.  
  
"You didn't answer me. What's wrong with my neck? You liked it last night when we were supposed to be looking for...oh. Never mind," smiled Anya.  
  
"I promise I'll try not to bite anyone here," smiled Faith. "And Giles?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
Faith became very serious and spoke very sincerely.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
Giles smiled awkwardly but smiled back at her. Faith looked at Buffy. She had the best smile Faith could ever remember seeing on her.  
  
END OF PART FOURTEEN   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	15. Part 15

Title: Into The Mirror  
  
PART FIFTEEN - Ripples  
  
Collins snapped the latches closed on his suitcase and turned around. The door to his motel room was open and he stood where he was. He knew that he hadn't left it open. And then she stepped into the doorway, her arms crossed in front of her chest.  
  
"So, it's you. You're just full of surprises, aren't you," said Collins.  
  
Pat just stood there and stared at him.  
  
"A girl. And the new Slayer to boot. Very clever of old Quentin," nodded Collins.  
  
Pat continued to stare at him.   
  
"If you hadn't heard, the Council has granted me immunity in exchange for my testimony about what happened here," said Collins.  
  
"Sorry, but was there a memo?," asked Pat sarcastically.  
  
"You can't kill me," laughed Collins.  
  
"No. You're right, I can't," sighed Pat. She turned and took a step outside the room.  
  
And then pulled the door shut behind her. And locked it.  
  
"But when I leave you'll wish I had killed you," said Pat flatly.  
  
"You wouldn't dare!," spat Collins.  
  
Pat smiled.  
  
"I'll, I'll scream!," yelled Collins, holding the suitcase up in front of him.  
  
"I'm counting on it," answered Pat coldly.  
  
She was no longer smiling.  
  
*****  
  
"So, you'll stay here awhile, keep an eye on things?," asked Travers.  
  
"If you'd like."  
  
"We would like that, not I. Remember that," reminded Travers.  
  
"Of course."  
  
Travers sighed and shook his head.  
  
"You're still upset with me for not warning you about Collins? I told you already, there was no time. I couldn't risk blowing my cover."  
  
"So you said," replied Travers, doubt clearly evident in his voice.  
  
"Do you doubt my loyalty? You wanted her Watcher's brakes cut and I did as I was told, without hesitation."  
  
"And you were rewarded for your services," replied Travers.  
  
"Man can't do his job efficiently if he isn't happy," smiled Smith.  
  
"I do not doubt your loyalty, Smithy. You have certain skills that I might require from time to time. Perhaps things worked out for the best. After all, the Slayers are nothing more than tools to be used. And I think I've gained their trust," smiled Travers.  
  
"Perhaps," agreed Smith.  
  
"We'll be in touch, then," stated Travers.  
  
"Of course," nodded Smith.  
  
*****  
  
Faith opened her eyes. She stared into the mirror in front of her. And saw Buffy's reflection looking back. For the briefest moment she froze, fear tightening her gut as she flashed back to when she was in possession of this body. But then it passed. And Buffy smiled.  
  
"What do you see?," asked Buffy, moving in closer behind her.  
  
"I see the Slayer," replied Faith, turning around to look at Buffy.  
  
"That's strange. I thought vampires were renowned for their keen eyesight. Why don't you look again?," encouraged Buffy.  
  
Faith smiled and turned around.  
  
"My mistake. You're right. I see two Slayers. It's just that sometimes I can't be seen, standing in your shadow."  
  
"Faith...shut up," sighed Buffy.  
  
Faith smiled.  
  
"Angel's on the phone. Guess they finally tracked down that demon. Messy kill, too, from what he hinted about it. He wants to know how you are," said Buffy.  
  
"Tell him...tell him I'm alive. And that he can send me a postcard from LA next time he thinks of me," grinned Faith.  
  
Buffy smiled back.  
  
"I'll call him later. Don't want to be late for our first patrol together, do you?," asked Faith.  
  
"I'll be right back," said Buffy.  
  
Buffy left the room. Faith turned around and stared into the mirror. She slowly raised her hand and touched the cold glass.  
  
*****  
  
"Wow, the bugs are nasty tonight," complained Pat.  
  
"Gee, they don't seem to be bothering me," laughed Faith.  
  
"Hmm, mosquitoes, lawyers, vampires...bloodsuckers don't go after their own, do they?," asked Buffy.  
  
"B, are you comparing me to a lawyer?," asked Faith.  
  
"Sorry. That was a little harsh."  
  
"So Pat, you're going to lose those vitamins Travers gave you, right?," asked Faith.  
  
"I guess. But he said they'd help prevent the buildup of lactic acid in my muscles, help me not get tired so quickly in a fight."  
  
"You don't even know what your body is capable of yet and he's already trying to push you past your limits. Trust me, Pat, you don't need them. Hey, what do we have here?," pointed Buffy.  
  
Up ahead of them, in front a bar that in its heyday could have been called a dive, stood two teenage boys and a girl. None looked old enough to drink.  
  
"Well, Pat, what do you think?," asked Buffy.  
  
Pat wrinkled her nose and looked at Buffy for a hint. Buffy only smiled.  
  
"Well, it's not like they're wearing big eighties hair and while I think her sweater is butt ugly, at least it ain't a cowl neck."  
  
Faith rolled her eyes.  
  
"Pat, come on! It's wicked obvious they're vampires," said Faith.  
  
"Um, maybe being so close to you is throwing my spider sense off," shrugged Pat.  
  
"Fair point. Weak, but fair," commented Buffy. "Still, I'll give ya a passing grade. Welcome to the club."  
  
"Sweet!," grinned Pat.  
  
"Okay, but she doesn't learn the secret handshake until after the Initiation Ceremony," complained Faith.  
  
"The...what?," asked Pat.  
  
"Oh, it's nothing to worry about. It does involve Xander, a blindfold and a feather. But I'm sure you'll do fine," comforted Buffy.  
  
Pat smiled, quickly catching on.  
  
"Xander, a blindfold and a feather. Well, as long as he kisses better than your sister," shrugged Pat.  
  
"You'd have to ask Faith that one. I've only danced with him. Faith has..."  
  
"So, B. What's the plan here?," glared Faith.  
  
"Okay, how about I get an attack of dumb blonde. Just follow my lead," said Buffy, quickly walking towards the three. Faith and Pat followed.  
  
"Excuse me, but we seem to have got lost. Where's the bus station?," asked Buffy with a smile.  
  
The two guys looked at one another. And then smiled.  
  
"Two streets up, take a right," said one.  
  
"Thanks," answered Buffy perkily.  
  
She walked away and the other two Slayers followed.  
  
"Two streets up," said Faith. "Isn't that..."  
  
"A dead end," finished Buffy.  
  
"Faith, you don't think they knew you were a vampire, do you?," asked Pat.  
  
"No. That crowd couldn't screw in a light bulb. Wouldn't matter if they did know. They probably figure I'll attack you when I get the chance, something we might use to our advantage," said Faith.  
  
"They're following us," said Pat without turning around.  
  
Buffy looked at Faith and nodded approvingly.  
  
"Atta girl," smiled Buffy.  
  
They turned the corner and disappeared from sight. The three vampires walked faster to catch up. When they got to the corner they eagerly ran. And looked at an empty dead end street. The girl looked back at her two companions, confused. She took a drag on her cigarette and motioned for them to stay put as she walked cautiously away from them.  
  
Unseen behind the two male vamps, a sewer cover silently was raised and eased down onto the pavement. Buffy quietly lifted herself up out of the sewer and stood behind them. Suddenly Faith and Pat jumped down in front of the two vamps from the roof of the one story corner store. Only momentarily startled, they both charged the girls.  
  
"Now!," yelled Faith to Pat behind her.  
  
Pat ran towards Faith and jumped as if she was going to tackle her. Faith caught her wrists and used Pat's momentum to swing her around in an arc, knocking the first vampire back into the second one. Behind them, Buffy reached up and broke off a flag pole from the store front, holding it out spearlike in front of her.  
  
The vamps were skewered, shishkabob style, and exploded into ash.  
  
"I get it. If you can't beat them, join them!," smiled Pat.  
  
"Not bad. We'll work on it," said Faith. "B! Watch where you're pointing that thing!"  
  
"Oops! Sorry!," cringed Buffy, dropping the flagpole.   
  
Now outnumbered three to one, the girl frantically looked around her for a way out. She spotted some paint cans and rags in a nearby dumpster and ran over to it, pulling out a broken stick. She wrapped a couple of rags around the end of the stick and held her cigarette to it. The rags quickly ignited.  
  
"Okay, having a flashback to the Scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz. Uh, a little help here guys?," said Faith.  
  
Pat and Buffy quickly moved in front of Faith. They both smiled. The girl slowly backed away.  
  
*****  
  
"Well, that was worthwhile," said Pat. "And...not unlike fun."  
  
"That was a nice move there, Pat," nodded Buffy. "And Faith, I should add."  
  
"Um, B? You know how you get after a good kill?," asked Faith.  
  
"Oh, sure. Man, I could go for some ribs right about now. Something you can really sink your teeth into. Why? You up for some...oh. You want something to sink your teeth into without having to sink your teeth into...that something," frowned Buffy.  
  
Faith nodded, somewhat embarrassed.  
  
"Okay, let's swing by the Magic Box on our way out to our midnight snack," announced Buffy.  
  
"I was wondering about that. Getting hungry afterwards, I mean," said Pat.  
  
"A little perk the Council failed to mention," said Faith.  
  
"But that's not quite it, is it? I mean, yeah, I'm hungry. But there's something more," said Pat.  
  
Buffy and Faith looked at one another.  
  
"Um, B, you'd better tell her," said Faith.  
  
"Me? Why me?"  
  
"Tell me what?," asked Pat.  
  
Faith crossed her arms.  
  
"Um, Pat, how old are you again?," asked Buffy.  
  
"Fifteen. Why?"  
  
"Faith, she's...like, Dawn's age!"  
  
"Tell me what?," repeated Pat.  
  
Buffy sighed and started walking. The others followed.  
  
"Pat, have you had a boyfriend yet?," asked Buffy.  
  
"No. What's that got to do with Slaying?"  
  
"Um, well...Faith, stop looking at my neck!"  
  
"I'm not looking at your neck!"  
  
"You should've had something before we left," said Buffy.  
  
"Um, Buffy? Back to the boyfriend bit," said Dawn.  
  
Buffy sighed and shook her head.  
  
"Now I know why the Council doesn't tell you about this stuff," said Buffy over Faith's laughter.  
  
"What stuff?," yelled Pat.   
  
*****  
  
Willow lit another candle and gently blew out the match, her eyes now focused on her girlfriend. Tara stood by the window, one hand holding back the curtain so that she could peer out into the night. Willow's bare feet made no sound as she walked up behind her, wrapping her arms around Tara's waist and resting her chin gently on her shoulder. The robe Tara was wearing was still damp from just getting out of the shower.  
  
"Whatcha thinkin' about?," whispered Willow.  
  
"Oh...nothing."  
  
"Hmm. Maybe I should ask who are you thinking about?"  
  
Willow rose up on her toes and kissed the base of her neck but felt Tara's body tense at the embrace. Tara let the curtain fall back into place.  
  
"I'm sorry. Am I really that shallow? It's just..."  
  
Tara felt Willow's arms release her.  
  
"I'm sorry. I just...I keep seeing her face and, and I can't stop thinking that maybe...maybe she has a part of you now that I can never touch," sighed Tara.  
  
Tara looked down at her hands but heard no answer from Willow. Almost a full minute passed before she warily looked up. And was promptly hit in the face with Willow's pajama top. Tara slowly pulled it down and smiled, seeing Willow sitting on the edge of the bed wearing only her pajama bottoms and a teasing grin.  
  
"What are you doing?," asked Tara, taking a step towards her and letting Willow's top fall to the floor.  
  
"Trying to make you forget. And there's nothing here that you can't touch," winked Willow.  
  
Tara took another step towards her, untying the belt around her robe as she did. Another step and she was within an arm's reach of her lover.  
  
"You want me to forget?," asked Tara softly.  
  
"Oh yeah," nodded Willow, her eyes on the opening of the robe. She reached for Tara, eager to pull away the terrycloth, but Tara grabbed her wrist.  
  
"Hmm...but maybe I want you to remember," said Tara, lifting Willow's hand and kissing the inside of her wrist, letting her tongue glide along the smoothness of her skin.  
  
Willow looked up at Tara, her eyebrows knitted together. Tara let go of her hand and slipped the robe past her shoulders, letting it fall to the floor. Willow ignored Tara's body, her eyes searching for answers hidden in Tara's expression. Tara placed each leg on the outside of Willow's knees, straddling her. Then she firmly grasped Willow's shoulders, forcing her down onto the bed.  
  
"Tara?"  
  
"Shh. We're going to play a little game. You like the games we play, don't you?"  
  
Willow swallowed nervously but forced a smile.  
  
"Close your eyes," whispered Tara.  
  
Willow closed her eyes and felt Tara's lips first on her forehead, then gently brushing against her cheek. The tenseness flowed from her body as Tara's lips moved down to the hollow of her shoulder. Willow's hands were lifted above her head and pressed into the softness of the bed.  
  
"I like this game," smiled Willow.  
  
Tara moved upward, nibbling on the lobe of her ear.  
  
"Honey, you need to relax. There's nothing to be afraid of," whispered Tara, her breath as soft as a feather.  
  
"Afraid? Why should I be afraid?," giggled Willow.  
  
Tara ran her tongue down the side of Willow's neck, paused, and then gently kissed the top of her breast. She moved from one side to the other, nuzzling her skin and teasing Willow by putting her mouth everywhere but on her nipple. Willow bit her lower lip.  
  
"Tara," moaned Willow.  
  
"No, darling...not Tara. It's time for our game. I want you to relax. So...don't think of me as Tara. Just pretend...that I'm Faith."  
  
Willow's eyes snapped open but Tara's mouth was on hers before she could cry out. She tried to free her arms but Tara was stronger. Tara kissed her deeply, passionately, and soon Willow responded. But she kept her eyes open. Tara pulled on her lower lip with her teeth, gently releasing it and smiling as she looked into Willow's eyes.  
  
"Tara..."  
  
"Shh...don't you trust me?," pouted Tara.  
  
"You know I do, but..."  
  
"Willow...I need this. Can you understand that?," pleaded Tara.  
  
Willow hesitated but gave the slightest nod of her head. Tara smiled. And leaned forward, kissing the side of Willow's neck just above the scar that now branded her. Soon Willow closed her eyes, letting herself enjoy what Tara was doing. Tara shifted her weight, sliding her leg over to the inside of Willow's knee and then repeating the motion with her other leg, forcing her legs apart.  
  
"I know you had to do it...but you never imagined it would feel so good, did you?," asked Tara.  
  
"No," admitted Willow.  
  
"What did you like more...the physical pleasure...or the surrendering to someone who is stronger than you?"  
  
"I...I don't know," sighed Willow reluctantly.  
  
Tara took one hand off of Willow's wrist and eased it down the side of her body, caressing her breast.  
  
"Yes, you do. You remember what it felt like...don't you?," accused Tara, now kissing the other side of Willow's neck.   
  
Willow nodded.  
  
"I know you're weak...I know you want me," breathed Tara.  
  
Willow moaned and put her hand on the back of Tara's neck, pulling her lips to her mouth. They kissed but Tara pulled her mouth away. Willow responded by wrapping her legs around Tara's waist.   
  
"Did you call out my name? Or did you call out hers?," asked Tara.  
  
Willow opened her eyes, afraid to answer.  
  
"Yours," whispered Willow. "Always yours."  
  
"You're not lying to me, are you?"  
  
"No. No, I swear Tara, I was thinking of you!," cried Willow, shaking her head.  
  
"Did you know that I felt your nails across my back when you were with her? Did you?," demanded Tara.  
  
Willow's lower lip trembled and her body went limp. She began to cry.  
  
"Tara, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," sobbed Willow.  
  
Tara smiled.  
  
"Call me Faith."  
  
"No. Oh, God, please no," begged Willow.  
  
"Do it!," yelled Tara.  
  
Willow's body was shaking as she closed her eyes. Tara grabbed her wrist again, forcing her arm above her head.   
  
"Do it!," screamed Tara.  
  
Willow clenched her eyes shut but couldn't stop the tears.   
  
"Faith," whispered Willow.  
  
"Again," ordered Tara.  
  
Willow winced.  
  
"Please," pleaded Willow. "I'm so sorry."  
  
She felt Tara licking her cheek, erasing the tears first from one side of her face, then the other. Willow managed to take a deep breath.  
  
"Faith," she repeated, barely able to hear her own voice. Willow opened her eyes.  
  
And stared into the yellow eyes of Faith. She opened her mouth to scream but before she could Faith leaned in, ripping into the flesh of her neck, knocking the very breath from her.  
  
Tara sprang up into a sitting position. The room was dark. Willow was asleep by her side with her back to her. Even in the dark Tara could see the scar on the side of Willow's neck. And it would always be there, even if she could forget, even if she could block these images from her mind. Soaked with sweat, she slowly drew her knees into her chest, circling her arms around her legs.  
  
It was only a dream. Just like last night. And the night before.  
  
Tara pressed her face into her knees, gently rocking back and forth, desperately trying to stifle her sobs so that she wouldn't wake Willow.  
  
THE END  
  
Author's note - The Velveteen Rabbit was written by Margery Williams. No, there was no Spike in this story, but when this fic "takes place" in the Buffy storyline, Spike wasn't around much. Apologies for not working Giles into this more. I meant to as he has been underused on the show this year, with the exception of the episode Checkpoint.  
  
  
  



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